Broken
by i-have-a-llama-army
Summary: SEQUEL TO CAUGHT. It has been ten years since Legolas's rescue, and everything has been going well for Eryn Lasgalen's royal family. But Legolas is growing weaker to the calling of the sea, while Thranduil is being deceived by a woman who hopes to marry him and become Queen. Will they learn to understand each other and put aside their differences, before is is too late?
1. Father and Son

_A/N: Hi again, everyone! This is the promised sequel to "Caught", and if you haven't read that, it probably won't make much sense._

_Disclaimer: None of this is mine. Except the bad guys. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!_

_Enjoy!_

_Chapter 1_

_After forty lashes, five for Gandalf, Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Aragorn, Gimli, and Thranduil, it was finally over. Legolas could not stop a muffled groan that escaped him, and he heard the others' laughter. Soon, it all melded into one voice, which he recognized as Cyras's._

_"Wasn't that fun, princeling?" he said as he laughed, and he ran his fingers gently over the cuts, all too real on Legolas's back. The elf arched his back in pain, but no sound escaped him._

_Chuckling, the man put his fingers on the elf's chin and forced it up, so they were eye to eye. The unguarded view of the icy orbs proved too much for the prince, strained already as he was, and he allowed the familiar blanket of unconsciousness to smother him in its embrace._

"—golas! Legolas!"

Legolas woke up with a start. He jolted upright, and he and Thranduil both felt a sharp pain explode in their skulls as their heads were smashed together.

Legolas gasped at the pain, and he leaned into the pillows, cradling his throbbing head with one hand. Thranduil also had a hand on his head, and he was biting back a few colorful curses in a variety of languages.

There was a pause as both of them attempted to get their bearings.

"Are you alright?" Thranduil asked his son after the world had stopped spinning wildly. He leaned over Legolas, who was still leaning back on the pillows, hand on his head. His eyes were closed as he tried to control himself enough to speak.

"Yes," he said finally after a few moments pause. "I am fine."

Thranduil's eyes softened as he looked upon his only child.

"Come on," he said, and he grabbed the knives, bow, and quiver that stood by the door and tossed them to Legolas, who barely had time to catch them before they hit him in the face. "I know you're not going to sleep and you're probably going to sneak out into the woods somewhere. Both of us might as well go. It will be safer."

Legolas grinned at his father's knowing smile and stood, quickly changing into his clothes and strapping his weapons to his back. They walked out of the room and down the hall, and they stopped at Thranduil's room to give him time to dress. When they were both in the appropriate garb, they went quietly through the hallways on the way to the door.

They waved to the guards, who gave them knowing smiles as they passed. Legolas grinned mischievously as they approached the tree line and darted up the trunk into one of the larger trees.

"Legolas!" Thranduil exclaimed almost exasperatedly as the merry laughter tinkled down from above him. Thranduil sighed, going over to a nearby tree and pulling himself up. The minute he was standing in the branches, Legolas appeared again, this time right above his father's head.

"My, my, Ada. You're getting slow!" he said as Thranduil began to try and climb up to reach him only for him to suddenly be a few branches higher. Thranduil groaned.

"It's not me you get your Silvan blood from, you know."

Legolas laughed and deftly picked a pinecone off of a nearby tree, dropping it directly onto his father's head. There was a soft exclamation, and he smiled, doing it again, causing a soft swear to reach his ears. Still grinning, Legolas flipped himself downwards so that his legs were the only thing holding him on the branch, and he was hanging upside down, his face inches from his father's.

Thranduil almost fell out of the tree in surprise.

"Someone's jumpy," Legolas commented, and he flipped back so he was sitting on the branch normally again. "What's up with you?"

"Some of your emotions from the dream you had won't leave me," Thranduil said, fingering the sphere on the necklace he wore as well as the crest of his family.

When they thought the poisons given to him by Cyras had left Legolas, Elrond had tested his blood to see if all of it had really gone. What surprised them all was that only the Denetinei left him, and the other poison was still there. Knowing that if the sphere broke, Legolas would die, Thranduil had a clasp made around the circle that was shaped like an eagle's claw, so that he could wear it all the time and no one could take it. It had deepened his connection with his son a little further, and they were still, after ten years, exploring its effects.

"Did you actually see the dream?" asked Legolas, not knowing the full extent of the power of the sphere. The ability to see each other's dreams was never one that he and his father had been given, but maybe the sphere allowed Thranduil to access his mind while he slept.

"No," said the Elvenking. "I don't know if I _could_ do that. I only felt the emotions, so I woke up and came to find you. I thought something might have happened, but apparently it was only a nightmare."

Legolas was silent, and so did Thranduil. They both knew he was aware that it wasn't a nightmare. No dream could cause as much terror as something that had really happened.

"Hey, Ada," Legolas said, changing the subject abruptly. "Did you know that Estel is going to Rivendell in a month?"

Thranduil raised his eyebrows.

"Really? It's been a while since he's been to any of the elven realms. You are planning to go see him and Elrond's sons, I am assuming?"

Legolas nodded and smiled at the way his father could read him so easily, and he looked at the horizon, where the little pink tendrils of sunlight were beginning to peak into the sky.

"We should get going," Thranduil said. "There's a meeting a seven." Legolas nodded, but Thranduil noted that his son looked a little disheartened at the sound of a meeting.

"But we can stay until then," he said, and Legolas began to smile widely. Thranduil lifted his hand to hold his son's, which was hanging limply by his side, which was slightly above Thranduil's head.

The sun rose.

_A/N: Sorry, I needed a little intro before we can get into the action._

_Please review!_


	2. Stay With Me

_A/N: Hi again! Here is the new chapter (a little more plot development this time…)_

_Also, I know that Legolas went to settle in Ithilien after the Quest, but for the sake of this story he waits a little while before going (hey, quoting Thranduil, "A hundred years is a mere blink in the eyes of an elf". So ten years is like…something less than a blink! Yea!)._

_Chapter 2_

The wide double doors to the Council room opened and the king and prince stood, looking professional and regal. All the lords stood up in respect to their king, who was wearing dark blue and purple robes and the crown he always wore at the beginning of the spring: the crown of green leaves and flowers. Their prince, at his right, was in a plainer, lighter blue tunic, but he too had a small wreath of flowers on his head, and it marked them as father and son.

The two walked to the head of the table, and Legolas watched his father for the signal to sit, which he made a moment later after the lords stood up once again, having bowed to the father and son.

When everyone was seated, Thranduil began the meeting.

"We are here to discuss the trade with the humans of Lake-town. It has come to my attention that they do not believe the trade to be fair. We need to decide on a response to their letter," he placed the scroll on the table and unrolled it, beginning to read it aloud.

Legolas was listening, and a possible course of action, which would probably be decided as the best plan after hours of arguing because that was what usually happened at these meetings, was forming in his mind.

_THWACK._

What was that?

_CRASH._

It was quite soft, and he looked around at the others at the table to see if they had heard it. His father was still reading, and the twelve lords and ladies were listening intently, leaning in to hear him more clearly. He was the only one who appeared to hear the commotion behind the door.

_SHING._

He knew that sound! His body tensed. A cry came from outside the door, and Thranduil fell silent, looking up with the 'who would dare disturb me right now I am busy I am their king make them go away' look on his face.

The door burst open.

And standing there were three giant, glaring black spiders.

Legolas leaped up, grabbing his bow from his back instinctively and shooting three arrows towards them in the blink of an eye. His father had not thought to bring any weapons, and neither had any of the lords or ladies, because of the relative peace that had followed the War of the Ring. Though there were still spiders, they had diminished greatly, and only a quarter of what once was were left. Legolas still brought his around, out of habit, and it was lucky that he did.

"Get behind me!" he screamed at the lords, ladies, and his father, who immediately scrambled into the corner of the room, the lords tripping over their robes and the ladies over their long dresses. He loosed more arrows, and the spiders jumped out of the way, screeching in their ugly voices.

The spider in the middle appeared to be the leader, and it was larger than the others. It was not quite as fast, but it was so much bigger that it was hardly a disadvantage. It was at least four times as tall and wide as them, and reached three quarters of the way to the tall ceiling in the room.

It had been so long since the spiders first came into the wood that the elves had even learned the basics of their language, as harsh and unlike their own as it was. They never spoke in it because they did not have the ability, but anyone who wanted to join a patrol had to learn the sounds so that they knew the basic commands the spiders would call to each other.

The spider made a series of hisses and clicks and screeches that Legolas's mind translated easily for him from all of the times he had fought against spiders before.

_"Oh my, what do we have here? Prince of the elves!"_

Legolas growled lowly. How the heck had those things even got in there?

A noise from behind him interrupted his thoughts, and he spun around, drawing his knives and feeling them dig into spider flesh. One of the smaller spiders, which had taken advantage of his distraction while he listened to the large one, had come up behind him.

The smaller spiders were up to about his chest, and their bite was not as poisonous because they were a different species. They were also more hairy, and they had less of an armor-like skin, so they were much easier to kill.

He heard the other one coming, and he stuck out his arm, holding one of the blades, and the spider did not have time to stop. It screamed as the blade went into its abdomen.

Legolas took his other blade and stabbed it in the second spider's head, and it screamed one last time before going limp and falling to the ground. Wrenching his blade from the spider, Legolas saw the large one standing, watching his every move as if evaluating him.

The first of the small spiders leaped onto him, knocking him over. They rolled a few feet, and Legolas kept one hand on its head, trying to keep its squirming pincers away from his body. He slashed blindly with his other hand, hacking at the spider's skin.

The spider squealed, jumping away from Legolas and stumbling as one of its legs gushed blood. Legolas stabbed it with his blades, one in each of the two nearest eyes, and it fell dead instantly.

He turned briefly to the nobles and his father. The lords and ladies were looking at him, wide-eyed. They had always tried to make good decisions for the kingdom and to seem sympathetic for warriors when they had never truly seen battle. And now they were watching the best of the best fight against spiders, and it put an entirely new perspective on what was really on the line every time they made a decision.

Legolas looked up at the large spider, who was still staring at him, large red eyes unblinking.

_"You are quite skilled, Prince. But have you ever faced one as powerful as me?"_

"Yes," Legolas said, and the lords all looked confused. Thranduil, who understood the spider's language, was cocking his head as he listened, trying to understand the conversation when it had been years since he had heard the language the spider was using.

_"But with a group, I assume."_

Legolas gave a wicked smile as he began to charge the spider.

"Nah."

Before the spider had time to react, he was halfway up one of its front legs. It shook the limb wildly, but he clung on, not bothering to slice at the armor-like skin he knew he could not break.

_"Stupid elf! I will show you who is in charge around here!"_

The spider finally managed to fling him off, and Legolas felt the sensation of flying for one moment before his back collided with the wall and the breath left his lungs. Falling onto his side, he tried to suck in air, but all he could do was wait until his lungs began to work again.

The spider advanced.

Legolas gasped in air, finally able to breathe again the minute before the spider descended upon him. He did not have enough time to stand before an excruciating pain came from his stomach, which grew worse. The spider had pierced his side, and it was now adding its poisonous blood to the wound. The dark blood ran from the spider's mouth from where it had bitten itself to bring it forth, and it gushed onto the wound, making it burn terribly. He could not help the scream that was torn from his mouth.

"LEGOLAS!" Thranduil screamed, beginning to run towards his son. A few of the lords held him back, and he struggled desperately against them.

The pain diminished considerably as Legolas was filled with red-hot adrenaline and anger.

He immediately rolled out of harm's way as the spider attempted to bite him again. He grabbed one of his knives from where they had landed when he fell to the ground. The other was about thirty feet away in one direction, and his bow was thirty feet in the other.

Deciding to go for his bow, Legolas sprinted toward the center of the room where his main weapon had been lying since he dropped it when fighting the smaller spiders. The feeling of the wood of the bow of Galadriel in his hands made his heart surge with the feeling of power. Drawing an arrow, he aimed for the spider's many eyes, and he continued to shoot relentlessly.

All of the arrows proved useless, however, when the spider moved, and the shower of arrows embedded themselves in the wall.

"RHAICH!" Legolas yelled in his frustration, not caring how un-princely he sounded or looked, swearing with his bloody abdomen and a ferocious snarl on his face.

He charged again at the spider, going for the joint between two of the plate like pieces at the spider's knee. He felt the knife go deep, and the spider howled, dropping to the ground and pinning him down with two of its legs, looking into its eyes.

_"The Sea tortures you,"_ the spider said in its tongue, recognizing the look of sadness in his eyes that had settled there since he had first heard the gulls from other elves it had fought. Legolas had been making sure to hide it since then, but he had other things on his mind at the moment. It appeared to be laughing. _"You are losing a battle with yourself! How weak and pathetic you are!"_

"Shut up!" Legolas yelled, wrenching his arm from the spiders grasp and plunging his blade into the spider's eye. It screamed, and he drew it out again, stabbing over and over at all of the glowing eyes. The spider's blood poured out from its eyes all over him, mingling with his own and making his wound burn furiously. He ignored the pain, content with jabbing his blade in each of the eyes as many times as it took to kill the beast.

With one final scream, long and piercing, the spider fell dead. Legolas barely managed to scramble out from under it before it collapsed onto the ground limply.

The lords and ladies were gaping at the horrors of war and fighting that they had never witnessed before, and they finally let go of Thranduil, who ran toward his son.

Legolas felt the strength that came with the adrenaline leave his body abruptly, and he fell forward. Thranduil arrived just in time to catch him.

"Legolas!" he cried desperately, but Legolas barely heard him, and blackness began to creep into the edges of his vision.

"Ion-nin!...Stay…with…me…"

The world faded to black.

_A/N: Cliffhanger! And lots more action! I hope you all liked._

_Sorry for the slow update. I have had midterms this week._

_Please review!_


	3. Free

_A/N: Has anyone seen "Legolas by laura: the motion picture"? If not, search it on YouTube. Right now. Before you even read this chapter. Right now. It is SO funny._

_Chapter 3_

There was a warm darkness around him, and it was beautifully comforting for reasons he could not explain. The silence was endless and perfect, and he reveled in the feeling of being alone. There was no expectations of him here. He did not need to be the perfect prince he always had to act as. He did not need to hide the way that the sea was crying for him every moment, he could let it go.

The feeling of freedom swelled inside of him, and Legolas finally stopped trying to suppress the overwhelming emptiness he had felt since the cry of the gulls had first reached his heart, and let the feelings surge through him. He envisioned the sea, its pounding waves, its melodious voice, and let out a strangled cry, which soon turned into a full-blown scream.

"Legolas!...Calm…ion-nin…you must calm down…"

Legolas felt his barriers and his masks go back up, all of them slamming down on him the instant he heard his father's voice. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He was not supposed to have to hide anything from his Ada. They were supposed to be completely honest with each other.

But he could not tell his father the one thing that was hurting him most. He could not cause him that kind of pain. Better for one of them to suffer than both of them.

Finally returning to his body, Legolas felt himself breathing heavily. Drops of sweat were rolling slowly down his face, and he wanted to reach up and move them away, but he couldn't. His arms felt like lead, and he was held down on the bed on which he was lying by the sheer weight of his body.

"A…A-ada…" he croaked, his throat dry and his voice weak. He looked up, the effort of moving his head unbelievably draining. He looked blearily up at his father, who smiled sadly down at him, stroking his hair with one hand.

"Go back to sleep, ion-nin. It was only a bad dream."

_'If only that was so, Ada.'_

He fell back into the world of unconsciousness.

Thranduil looked at his son's sleeping face, which was pale and drawn. He brushed away some hair that had fallen over Legolas's face and allowed himself to relax, leaning back in his chair, allowing himself to sigh deeply into the empty room, running a hand over his face tiredly. It had been two days since Legolas had killed the spider, and he hadn't slept since.

A knock came at the door, making Thranduil jolt back up to attention again. He sat straight in his chair and called out for whoever it was to come in.

A female face looked around the door. It was Lady Anomeda, a lady of his court that had been present during the spider attack.

"My king," she said politely, stepping in and bowing to him before closing the door behind her.

The Lady had very distinguishing features. Most elves in Eryn Lasgalen had light brown hair, but hers was jet black, and she had bright green eyes that looked like a cat's. Her hair reached to about halfway down her back, and her face was made even paler in color than other elves because of her dark hair that framed it. She almost always wore dark blues and purples, and she wore a dark blue dress now that dragged rich fabric across the floor as she approached him.

"Please sit, my lady," said Thranduil, motioning with one hand toward the chair by his side. She sat, perched on the edge of the seat like a bird ready to fly away at any moment. Her eyes scanned Legolas briefly, and tears gathered in her eyes. She wiped them away with a handkerchief she drew from her sleeve.

"Are you alright, my lady?" asked Thranduil. She nodded, sniffing.

"I am sorry, my Lord. It is just that it pains me to see him this way. He is such a wonderful person, besides being a skilled fighter and prince. I wish he did not get hurt for our sakes."

"Your sakes?"

"Me and the other Council members, my lord. We did not have our weapons, and we should have known better to go anywhere unarmed. At least until the darkness is completely banished."

"You are right. I also did not have a weapon, which was foolish of me. I also take some of the blame."

There was silence other than their breathing and Legolas's in the room for a few minutes. Then Lady Anomeda stood up.

"Well, my king, I must be going. Thank you for sparing time for me."

Thranduil stood to open the door for her, and smiled.

"It was no trouble, my lady. You are welcome to visit Legolas and I any time you wish," he said, and she gave him a brilliant smile before walking out of the room.

But as the door closed behind her, her smile turned wicked.

Legolas felt a disturbance in the darkness, a feeling of some sort. He reached out to it, and felt the feeling of happiness. Who was happy? And why?

Oh, that must be his Ada's emotion! Why was his Ada happy? He felt himself, with the emotion, coming back to his own body, and he cracked his eyes open to look into the room. The sun had fallen, and it was completely dark in the room except for a single candle, which would not be blown out because the healers and his father knew how he felt about the dark, after everything with Cyras.

His Ada was sleeping soundlessly on a chair by the bed, and he went and prodded his mind gently to wake him up, knowing that he would want to know that he was awake. Thranduil's eyes opened slightly, and he blinked sluggishly at Legolas. About a minute later, realizing that Legolas was awake, Thranduil jolted to attention and grabbed his son's hand.

"Legolas!" he said. "Are you alright?"

"Aye," said Legolas, still hoarse. "I'm okay."

"Here, let me go get you some water," said Thranduil, and he stood up. He got a pitcher and a glass and poured water into it, and he turned back to his son, but Legolas's eyes had fallen shut again already. The spider's poison would have killed any normal elf, but for the stubborn prince of Eryn Lasgalen it only made him immensely fatigued.

Thranduil smiled at his sleeping son and sat down again, preparing for a long night.

_A/N: Please review!_


	4. Suffering

_A/N: I have found a picture that almost perfectly depicts what I think Thranduil would look like at the sad ending of Caught (just imagine that the coffin doesn't have dwarvish writing on it and is Legolas's coffin instead). So here is the link: art/Elven-grief-347453175_

_Chapter 4_

It was the sound of a low moan that woke Thranduil from his awkward slumber on the chair beside Legolas's bed. He sat up groggily, running a hand through his hair. He picked up his crown from where it had fallen as he slept and placed it on the bedside table, not wishing to remain free of its burden and be only a father for a few minutes more.

Another groan came, and he looked to the source. Legolas had made the sound, and he was shifting restlessly, sweat gathering on his forehead. Thranduil put a hand softly on his son's head, and he drew it back in surprise. Legolas was deadly hot.

"Herethin?" he said, expecting that the healer would be somewhere nearby and hear his call. There was no response.

Legolas began to gasp for air, and his temperature skyrocketed even further.

"Herethin!"

He began to thrash, rolling over the edge of the bed. The sound of his stitches popping filled the room, and Legolas's fever-glazed eyes snapped open.

"HERETHIN!"

The healer burst into the room and gasped at the sight of Thranduil restraining Legolas on the ground. Legolas's arm lashed out and hit Thranduil in the face, and the king let go of his son abruptly and grabbed his cheek, where he had been hit.

Herethin immediately rushed forward, and instead of holding Legolas down he drew a vial from his pocket, dodging as Legolas swung at his head, and yelled to two of the healers that had entered, hearing the commotion.

"Carethui! Allende! Get his arms and legs!"

The two hurried over, but they could not hold down Legolas, he was simply too strong. More healers scrambled into the small space between the bed and the wall where Legolas was still struggling against an invisible force.

"ADA!" he screamed, and tears gathered in his open eyes. Thranduil immediately hurried over to him, taking his face in his hands.

_'Legolas, ion-nin,'_ he said through the bond, and he tried to bring his calming presence into the chaos of his son's mind. He went deeper into the whirl of confusion and complete and utter agony and reached the center of Legolas's mind, which was filled with a deep ache and longing that he could not understand. He withdrew quickly as he began to feel himself lose control. He was in the room once more, and Legolas was in front of him, tears running down his face.

"Legolas, ion-nin," he said softly and with such tenderness that all of the healers stopped trying to hold Legolas down and his frantic movements ceased. He looked blearily up at his father, and he seemed to regain some of his senses.

"Please, Legolas. I want to help you. Tell me what's wrong," Thranduil said quietly, and he ran a finger down his son's cheek, brushing away the tears on it.

"I cannot," Legolas murmured, and he leaned into the warmth of his father's hand.

"Why not, ion-nin?" asked Thranduil quietly.

"I just can't," said Legolas, the tears beginning to slide down his face again as he suppressed a sob, trying to hold in the part of him that was begging to be released.

"That is not a good reason," Thranduil said, but it did not come out like a reprimand, it was more like a statement.

"I can't…" Legolas said, and he paused for a moment before speaking again, so quietly Thranduil could barely hear it.

"It would hurt you as much as it does me."

"No, Legolas. What is hurting me is seeing you struggling so, and I know it is not just against the poison. And if I do not know what it is, I cannot help you."

"I…Ada, it hurts me so, yet I want to run to it," Legolas said, finally letting some of his anguish come out of his mouth. "I long for it, and that is what tortures me."

"What is it, Legolas?"

"I cannot tell you."

"Oh, for Valar's sake, Legolas! Just tell me!" Thranduil said, finally reaching the end of his fraying patience with his son. He had been awake for three days with very little sleep watching over him, and this was how his son showed his gratitude?

"No," Legolas muttered, drawing in on himself. The poison and his fever were making old memories come back to him, and he saw his father's furious face morph into the one he wore while he whipped him, over and over, within Cyras's stronghold. He knew that that was not really his Ada and it was Cyras who had hurt him, but his father's wanting to hurt him seemed far too real now.

"Please don't hurt me, Ada! I am sorry, I'm sorry, I cannot, I cannot…"

Legolas curled into a ball on the ground, rocking slowly back and forth and allowing the darkness to claim his feverish mind.

Thranduil sighed, cursing in his mind. What had he been thinking, yelling at his son like that? He had gotten nowhere, and now Legolas would be even more reluctant to tell him what was wrong.

He picked up the now-dreaming Legolas and stood up, putting him on the bed and drawing the covers over him. His hand stroked Legolas's hair for a moment, and then he was king again. He picked up his crown from the table and put it on his head, and left the room. He barely heard Legolas's sleep whisper before he closed the door behind him.

"Better for one of us to suffer than both."

_A/N: I hope you liked this chapter! More updates over the weekend!_

_This is one of my favorite chapters so far. I love angst! XD. Especially with Legolas involved. He is my favorite character for the genre._

_Please review!_


	5. Blindness

_Chapter 5_

"Legolas," said Thranduil, seeing his son stir, he and Lady Anomeda, who he had been talking to, stood, standing at the bedside.

Legolas stayed with his eyes closed for a few more moments, and he assumed he was mustering the energy to open them.

Legolas was, in reality, pulling himself together and putting his emotions to a hidden, desolate section of his mind so that he could appear strong and happy like he had before all of this had happened. It would be best to pretend he didn't imagine every moment of the last time he woke up. It would stop his father from questioning him.

"Ada?" he said, hating the weakness in his voice as he opened his eyes, looking upwards and waiting for them to adjust. But they did not. Everything remained a blur.

"What…what happened?" Legolas asked. "I'm…I'm not dead…"

Thranduil laughed, and another, higher laugh joined him. Legolas turned his head, fire exploding within his skull at the movement, and looked in the direction it had come. Dark hair was tickling his face. He brought a hand up slowly to brush it away, trying to ignore the pain that came with any movement at all. He couldn't see her face clearly, but he could see a blur of green where her eyes should be, and the dark hair told him who it was.

"Lady Anomeda," he croaked, looking up at her and forced a small smile, trying to keep some rendition of his former princely reputation.

"My prince," she gushed, tucking her hair behind her ear as it threatened to fall on his face again. "You're awake!"

There was a pause.

"I…when…what?" he mumbled, trying to sound like he could not remember what had happened. "I…the spider! Is it…dead?"

"Yes, ion-nin. You did very well. The spiders are dead, but when you were stabbing the eyes of the spider, more of its poison got into you from its blood, so it will take longer to heal. Although, I do believe the worst is behind us."

He looked at Legolas, and he knew what his father meant but tried to make it look like he didn't. He put a confused expression on his face and looked with what he hoped to be puzzled eyes at his father. He also closed his mind to Thranduil, so he could not see his intentions.

Thranduil sighed. "Do you remember anything of what has happened since the fight, Legolas?"

Legolas shook his head slowly, looking as if he were trying to recall the events.

"I was not unconscious the whole time?"

"No. But it does not matter," Thranduil said, closing the conversation and looking away.

Legolas gave a small shrug and looked away as well, trying to focus his uncooperative eyes on Lady Anomdea's face. He blinked, but her face remained a blur.

"I…I can't see properly," he said, blinking again, but that only seemed to make it worse. He couldn't help but do it again, and then his sight was completely gone, and all he could see was blackness. He began to panic a little. "Ada, I can't see!"

"Shhh, Legolas, it's okay," Thranduil said, putting a hand on his son's cheek, seeing that his eyes were wide but glazed and unseeing.

"It is just a side effect of the poison. Your sight will return within the month."

"_Month_? Ada, I have work to do, and training! How am I supposed to sign papers, never mind shoot arrows, when I can't see a thing?"

His voice was wavering, and he paused, and then it came to him.

"And Estel, Ada! He's going to be in Rivendell in a month! I can't travel _blind!_"

"We will figure it out. Maybe your sight will return by then."

"Yes, do not despair, my prince. You'll be alright," said Lady Anomeda, and Legolas felt a cool hand on his cheek. He held back his tears at the thought of blindness and forced another smile, but he could not help the yawn that escaped him.

Thranduil smiled fondly at his son and he spoke quietly.

"Go to sleep, Legolas. We'll be here when you wake up."

As Legolas drifted into the world of dreams, he wondered at his father's use of the world 'we'.

O:o:O

A few hours later, Herethin came into the room, opening the door slowly and coming in quietly so as not to wake the prince. He went to

Thranduil, who was the only other person in the room.

"Has he woken?"

"Yes. A few hours ago he woke up for a few minutes. He has been asleep since then."

"Good," Herethin said approvingly. "He needs as much rest as he can get. I assume the blindness has set in?"

"Yes. He is frightened, but he'll be alright. I just don't know how we'll keep him occupied for a month without training and paperwork.'

"Maybe, my lord," said Herethin, putting a hand on his chin in thought. "It would be a good idea to not let any people other than you, myself, and Legolas know about this. I don't think he would appreciate pity from anyone."

"And Lady Anomeda," said Thranduil. "She was in the room when he said that he could not see."

Herethin looked a little confused, but the king offered no explanation, so he just shrugged.

"And Lady Anomeda, then. Do you think it is a good idea to keep it a secret?"

Thranduil nodded slowly. "We'll have to ask Legolas when he wakes up."

"Ask me what?"

Legolas's raspy voice filled the room, and Herethin rushed to his side.

"My prince! How are you feeling?"

"H-Herethin…?" Legolas said, reaching upward to touch Herethin's cheek and identify that it was him. He sighed in relief when he determined it was just the healer. "I'm alright."

"I'm going to check on your wound," Herethin declared, and he unbuttoned the simple sleeping tunic that Legolas was wearing and placing it on a chair, so that he was dressed only in loose leggings. Herethin unwrapped the bandages that ran all the way up his torso and began to touch the wound lightly, making sure there was no infection or other complications.

"So, Herethin and I were going to ask you if you want to keep your…blindness…a secret," Thranduil said as Herethin looked over the wound. He had to grind out the word 'blindness' because he knew how much the inability to see hurt his son. Legolas appeared to think for a moment, and then he gave a small nod.

"Yes. Definitely."

"Alright," said Thranduil, and he touched his son's shoulder lightly. "I will go tell Lady Anomeda."

And then he left.

_A/N: Ooh! New plot twist that even _I_ didn't know was coming!_

_Please review!_


	6. Tempers Flare

_Chapter 6_

_"My, my," Cyras said, licking his lips and smiling. "There is much pain in your past. That should be able to cover many lessons, I think."_

_Legolas could not help the muffled groan that escaped him as he understood what Cyras meant. He tried to lift his head, but it was too much. _

_Tears continued to leak out of the corner of his eyes._

Please hurry, Ada, Estel, Gimli, _he thought as the world began to fade at the edges_. I don't think I can survive this again.

Legolas jolted awake, and there was darkness all around him.

"Where…?" he said, and then it hit him full force. There was only one place in the world this dark. Only one place he could possibly be.

He curled in on himself, rocking back and forth slowly, trying to calm himself down. The panic continued to come over him, though, and soon he was whimpering, and then he was crying, and then he was screaming. He tried to tell his mind to stop showing weakness, that

Cyras would be back soon and he had to be strong, but it would not listen to him.

The door creaked open, and he went silent, knowing that Cyras had come. He needed to be silent. He needed to be strong.

"Legolas!"

Arms wrapped around him, warm and familiar. What was his Ada doing here?

"Ada…" he said quietly. "You need to get out of here! He will come for me, and he will hurt you, too, if he finds you here!"

"Legolas, what are you talking about? You are safe."

Legolas's eyes widened.

"No! You are an illusion, as well! Stay away from me! I know I am not safe, here in this stupid darkness. He will come for me!"

"Legolas, ion-nin, you are at home, in the healing ward! You are no longer with Cyras, you haven't been for ten years. It is only dark because you are blind, and you will remain so for a month. Then everything will be back to normal again."

"I do not believe you!"

"Legolas, did you see any light coming through the door when I came in?"

Legolas frowned, trying to remember. He shook his head slowly.

"Exactly. If you were really still with Cyras, you would have seen the light coming through the door. It is alright, ion-nin. He is dead. He won't hurt you again."

"Ada…" Legolas whispered, and he turned, reaching to where he assumed his father would be. He was trying to put a face to the voice of his Ada, but it was so hard to remember that he had ever been able to see in this cursed darkness.

Thranduil closed his eyes and let his son's hands touch his face, and he saw that Legolas was painting a picture of him within his mind. When Legolas's hands dropped to his sides, he took his son and held him close to his chest for a few moments, before drawing back.

"Herethin has declared that you are now allowed to get up. It's been almost five days," Legolas's eyes widened considerably, but he continued. "Well, if you'd like to, once you're dressed, a council has been called to discuss how to make sure no more of those blasted spiders get in."

Legolas smiled and chuckled lightly at the obvious annoyance in his father's voice, and he attempted to stand. His wound, however, was having none of it, and it shot a jolt of pain through his system. He gasped, groping in the air until he found his father's arm. He clung onto it, trying to slow down his breathing. When he had gotten it back to normal, he smiled in what he hoped to be his father's direction.

"Are you alright?" Thranduil asked, and he nodded slowly, feeling as if his eyes were closed. Every waking moment he felt like his eyes were closed, and it felt ridiculous. He felt a laugh bubble up into his throat, and he let it escape him. He could envision the confused look on his father's face as he spoke.

"Why are you laughing?"

"It's so ridiculous. I feel like my eyes are closed!" Legolas said, and he carefully let go of his father's arm.

He felt for the buttons on his sleeping tunic, but it was taking him ages to wriggle them out of the holes that Thranduil's hands came and did it for him. As his father deftly undid the buttons, he sat and put his head so it was resting on his right hand, sighing.

"I hate this," he murmured, shrugging the tunic from his shoulders and feeling the tunic that he assumed his father had brought from him being put on him. He hadn't been dressed by one of his parents since he was, what, five? He blushed furiously, realizing that now it was time to put on his leggings and he had no chance of being able to put them on properly, never mind lace them. He tried to pretend that nothing was happening as his father put them on him, and a few minutes later he was dressed. He sat down and let his father put his boots on him and comb and braid his hair.

"There, all ready," said Thranduil, placing the circlet on his son's head. He had made him look more like the royalty he was than usual, and he wore a silver embroidered tunic, dark pants and boots, and his warrior braids and circlet.

Thranduil held out his hand and formed a fist, and Legolas put his hand on top of it so it would look like they were just coming in together in the normal fashion for royalty, when really Legolas was depending on his father to guide him.

"Let's go," Thranduil said, and they began to walk to the council room.

O:o:O

Legolas heard the squealing of chairs as the lords and ladies hurried to their feet when they entered. Their hushed whispers stopped, and he assumed they all bowed as his father led him in the familiar arc they always took to their seats. Thranduil lowered his fist, and Legolas let go, feeling the chair below is fingertips. He pulled it out and sat down, slamming his knee into the table when he misjudged the distance between it and the table. He winced, rubbing his leg and hoping no one had noticed.

"We are here to discuss what course of action we should take in order to prevent spiders from coming into our home as easily as they did five days ago," Thranduil said, starting the meeting with the same introduction as he usually used. "It has been determined that the guards were knocked out by the spider but received no further injuries. It is still unknown, however, how the spiders got into the palace in the first place. Yes, Lord Ferenthe?"

"Well, my King, I propose that in order to stop similar occurrences, we should…"

Legolas tuned his hearing into every breath, every movement that any of the council members made, trying to imagine what the room looked like. He could barely bring the blurry image of the room he used to know so well to mind.

"…so that the prince will not have to sacrifice himself as he did before."

Legolas returned to listening to the conversation, hearing his title said.

"He should not have had to," another lord agreed.

"I disagree," said Lord Garien, a particularly irritating member of the council who was immeasurably stubborn and pompous. "It is not our job to protect the realm. Besides, he gets injured so often, he must think it is fun."

"That is absurd, Lord Garien," said Thranduil. "No one thinks getting hurt is fun. It is painful, but occasionally necessary. Legolas saved all of our lives when the spiders attacked, and we should be grateful."

"Saved us? I bet we could have fought them off. There are thirteen of us, including you! He only saved us for the sport and the fun he has fighting, and his injury just added to the fun."

Accompanied with his annoyance at not being able to see and his dislike of Lord Garien, Legolas's temper flared to life. He stood up, and his chair screeched. He felt rage building inside of him at the comment, and he practically spat his words in the direction that the lord's voice had come from.

"_Fun?_ You think I find being hurt _fun,_ Garien?" he said, ignoring all formalities and scowling into the blackness. "Does this look _fun_ to you?"

He jerked up his tunic, exposing the bandage that was wrapped around his chest and torso.

"Legolas…" Thranduil said in an attempt to calm his son, but it was no use. The temper that had flared before him was a mirror off his own, and he had no control over it.

Legolas ripped the bandage off, revealing the long, bloody gash that ran from the right side of his chest to his left hip.

The ladies gasped and the lords covered their mouths in shock at the painful-looking wound. It was stitched, but the stitches had ripped when Legolas had stood up so abruptly. The wound still looked almost fresh because the poison slowed its healing. The skin around it was raw and irritated, and the gash itself had begun to ooze a mixture of dark poison and blood once more with the stitches gone.

"This is what I paid for defending you, and if that is all the gratefulness I get for doing so, I won't do it next time!" Legolas shouted, and though he could not see it, Garien was cowering in his chair. "And where will that put you? Dead. That's where you'll be. And your soul, in Mandos, will regret ever speaking to your prince so."

Legolas wanted to storm out of the room, but he knew he would not be able to find his way to the door and would probably end up revealing his secret.

"Legolas!" Thranduil said, his own temper kindling at his son's unreasonableness. The small part of him that cried out that he should be understanding, that he knew how it felt to be controlled by your temper, and he had no idea what Legolas was going through in terms of his blindness, he ignored. "Do not speak to Lord Garien so!"

"By saying that you are as bad as he is," Legolas said quietly, scowling in the direction from which his father's voice had come. He gently replaced the bandages as best he could and pulled his tunic down, muttering under his breath.

"Speak up, Legolas," said Thranduil. "You know I hate mumbling. If you have something to say, say it clearly, so all can hear you."

Legolas growled at him, sitting down.

"I said I hate you. I hate you, and I do not want to be your son."

_A/N: OH SNAP!_

_I know that Lord Garien was completely unreasonable, but you have one of those ridiculous people in every group like this, I would think. And I know that Legolas was completely unreasonable as well, but his temper is as big as Thranduil's, and once it is ignited he has no choice in what comes out of his mouth. I love writing Legolas with his father's temper._

_Also, I saw the Desolation of Smaug again today! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_

_PLEASE REVIEW! _


	7. Numb

_Chapter 7_

Thranduil was numb. He had been for nearly a day now. Since his son's words had struck home, a chilling frostbite had come over his heart, and one thought ran through his mind every time he tried to think of the argument they had had at the council.

_'It's his own fault. He was irresponsible. It is not my fault. Not at all.'_

So he ignored the fact that he could feel a terrible pain coming from his bond with his son. He told himself that he didn't care, and thus he didn't.

Legolas had a completely different way of dealing with the pain of their disagreement. Instead of ignoring the pain, he allowed it to swallow him whole. All of his strength had been being used to combat the sea-longing, and he was completely unprepared for this new blow.

He laid on his bed, which he had barely been able to reach, crawling on his hands and knees when his father had left him at the door after their awkward walk through the terribly silent hallways. The inside of him had been begging to ask for forgiveness, because he knew that he was at fault, and all the blame lay on him. But each time he opened his mouth, his pride held his vocal chords tight, and he could not make any sound or form the words that would release him.

So now he lay, his face imbedded in his pillow as he lay sprawled, trying to search inside himself for something to soothe him. Nothing came to him, and he distracted himself by listening to the sea's enticing lullaby as he drifted into a fitful sleep.

O:o:O

A tentative knock came from the door to his study, where Thranduil had been sitting for hours, trying to get lost in his work.

"Enter!" he called, signing his signature yet another time with a flourish before placing his quill into the quell and stacking the papers, putting them to the side as he waited for his unidentified guest to come in.

The door slid soundlessly open, and in stepped Lady Anomeda. Her face had a small smile on it, less of a joyful one than one meant to comfort him.

"My lady," he said, and he gave her a similar smile, motioning to the chair before his desk. She sat down gracefully, skirts swishing quietly. "What brings you here?"

"I wanted to make sure you were alright, my King—"

"My lady, please do me a favor. Formalities are tedious. Just call me Thranduil."

"I think likewise. Please call me Anomeda," said Anomeda, and she smiled widely at Thranduil before sobering.

"So, my…Thranduil, I only wanted to make sure you were alright. I know how close you and Prince Legolas are, and I was worried that his outburst earlier had upset you."

_What a perfect choice of words, 'outburst'_, thought Thranduil, shaking his head with a mirthless laugh.

"It is nothing. We often quarrel; it is nothing new."

"Oh? It looked as if you were getting along better as of late."

"Well, yes. Recently, since his return, things have been going much more smoothly. But it was bound to happen sometime."

They continued to talk as the sun inched toward its peak in the sky.

"Prince Legolas?" a voice called from outside of his door, making Legolas jolt up. "It's Herethin. Can I come in?"

"I…yes," said Legolas, and he sat up. He heard the rattling of the doorknob, but not the sound of the door opening.

"Herethin? What's wrong?" he called.

"The door locked itself when you closed it, my prince. It can only be opened from the inside or with the key. Can you open it for me?"

"I…maybe. I can try."

He stood shakily, putting his hands in front of him. But the minute he left the bed, everything around him was an empty void. He took a few steps forward, then left, than right, but his chambers were very large, and he could not find a wall to guide him. He tried to step back to where he thought the bed to be, but he couldn't feel anything there. Where was he? He was stuck in the endless darkness.

"I…I can't."

"Come on, my prince. The door is where my voice is."

"I cannot, Herethin!" he cried, and he hated the way his voice was choked with tears. "I…I do not know where I am! Please, please get me out of here…"

"Shhh, calm down my prince. I will go to your father and get the key. Stay where you are."

"Do not tell him that I could not do it, please! He already thinks me weak," Legolas exclaimed, and Herethin sighed.

"Alright, I'll try not to tell him. But if he won't give me the keys otherwise, I will have to."

Legolas did not have time to say anything before he heard Herethin's footsteps running away from the door. He was alone.

He allowed the darkness to swallow him once again.

O:o:O

An almost frantic knocking came at the door to Thranduil's study. He stopped in mid-sentence, looking away from Anomeda and to the door.

"Enter!" he called. She gave him a look as if she was asking if he knew who it was, and he shrugged his shoulders in response.

Herethin stepped in, his breathing heavy. He wasn't very fit, having worked in the healing ward for centuries.

"What is it, Herethin?" Thranduil asked. The healer paused for a moment, catching his breath, before standing straight.

"I was wondering if I could borrow your keys, my king," he said, referring to the set of master keys that Thranduil kept on him at all times.

"What for?" Thranduil asked, raising one eyebrow. It was not every day that someone asked him for permission to enter any room in the palace.

Herethin almost winced at the question he had hoped the king wouldn't ask. He tapped his foot unconsciously, feeling an urgent need to get back to Legolas as soon as possible. The prince's voice when he had left had been so desperate. There was no time for this.

"I…I was looking in one of the closets, and I put my keys to the healers rooms on a shelf as I looked for an herb that I needed. I shut the door, and now my keys are locked inside."

"You, Herethin, are a terrible liar," said Thranduil, and Herethin went bright red. "You always bite the inside of your cheek when you lie."

Herethin hastily stopped biting the inside of his cheek.

"I did not wish to, but you leave me no choice," Thranduil sighed, before stranding and looking harshly at Herethin. "I order you, as your king, to tell me truthfully why I should give you the keys and with them the means to do anything within my home."

"Because the door to your son's room is locked," Herethin said, trying to calm down and ignore the nagging feeling that he needed to get back to Legolas _right now_. "And he is blind, and therefore cannot get up and open the door himself."

"I'm sure he can reach the _door_," Thranduil scoffed. "It's not exactly difficult."

"Thranduil," Herethin said, dropping formalities and putting his hands on his shoulders. "Your mind is connected to your son's. How on Arda do you not understand the fear he is feeling right now?"

"Fear of what?" said Anomeda, standing as well. "As Thranduil said, it isn't very difficult to find a _door_. The prince has already acted like an elfling and disgraced the king at the council meeting, he needs to get it together already."

Thranduil nodded, his mind practically being read by Anomeda. Herethin's face turned dark.

"Stop ignoring your bond with him," he said, and it came out more demanding that he had hoped. "He needs you. He has every right to act like an elfling! You can tell how he feels, Thranduil, you of all people should know this."

Thranduil pulled sharply away from the healer, and Herethin's hands fell limply at his sides.

"Do not speak to your king so," he commanded, and Herethin bowed his head grudgingly. Thranduil turned away from him, waving a hand in dismissal. Herethin could not stop himself from speaking to his back.

"So you are going to leave your son, alone and afraid, locked in his room?"

This seemed to irritate Thranduil, and he growled lowly under his breath. But the image of Legolas, alone and trapped within the walls of his room, came into his mind unbidden. His hand reached out and grabbed the keys from his desk, and he tossed them over his shoulder. The healer caught them, smiling.

Thranduil waved his hand in dismissal again, and this time Herethin left.

_A/N: Here's the new chapter!_

_PLEASE REVIEW!_


	8. Failure

_A/N: "" are out loud,_

_'' are Thranduil and Legolas talking within each other's heads or individual thoughts._

_Chapter 8_

"Prince Legolas? I have the keys. I'm coming in."

Herethin's voice once again drew Legolas from his thoughts of the sea, and he looked up, for the first time since becoming blind having accepted that he would not see anything, and he listened as the keys clashed metallically and the door opened, the hinges squealing.

"Herethin…" he murmured, but he did not try to get to the healer. He stayed where he was kneeling on the floor, hugging himself loosely.

"Oh, Legolas…" Herethin said, and the floorboards creaked as he squatted beside the prince. He put his hand on Legolas's and pulled him to his feet.

"Come on. Let's get you back to the bed. I'll check on your wound."

"The stitches ripped," Legolas said quietly, the usual light gone from his eyes. He allowed Herethin to lead him to the bed and sat down obediently. Herethin quickly unbuttoned his tunic and looked at the ripped bandages.

"How on Arda did you manage to rip the bandages, never mind the stitches?" he asked, looking in wonder at the tattered cloth as he removed it.

Legolas began to shudder, barely suppressing his sobs.

"I…I was so stupid, Herethin…I let him provoke me; I never let anyone provoke me! It's my job to keep Ada's temper down, I never have to worry about my own…"

Herethin sighed, pushing Legolas so he was lying down on the bed.

"What happened?" he asked, and Legolas told his about the council and everything that had gone wrong.

"Well, you certainly deal with it differently than your father," Herethin mumbled when he finished stitching the wound, tying off the thread and wrapping the wound in a bandage.

"What do you mean?" asked Legolas, raising his arms so that the bandage could go under his arms.

"I am not going to tell you that you didn't do anything wrong. Both you and Thranduil do some pretty stupid things when under the influence of your tempers. But at least you accept that you were wrong. Your father does not. He hates being wrong."

"As do I," said Legolas, sighing as Herethin put the tunic back on him. "As do I. But I do things wrong so often, I guess I have to get used to it."

Herethin looked up in surprise, and, seeing that the elf in front of him looked utterly devastated, pulled Legolas into a gentle embrace.

"Oh, Legolas," he said, holding the younger elf to his chest. "So not speak that way. For every bad decision you make, you make fifty good ones. You are the best prince the realm could ask for."

"No! No!" Legolas said, pulling away abruptly and squeezing his eyes shut. "I am a failure! He told me so!"

"Your _father_ said that to you?" Herethin said, rage growing within him as he heard how Thranduil had hurt his son without a care.

Legolas seemed unbelievably far away from what he had been before.

_"Legolas, do not speak to Lord Garien so!"_

_'Sit down,' Thranduil's voice barked in his son's mind, and Legolas jolted to attention, glaring at him.'_

_'I said _sit down_,' Thranduil repeated, eyes hard. Legolas sat slowly and grudgingly._

_"By saying that, you are as bad as he is," Legolas said aloud, and Thranduil's eyes hardened even further._

_'SIT.'_

_Legolas obeyed, mumbling to himself._

_"You know I hate mumbling, Legolas. If you have something to say, say it loud, so all can hear you."_

_"I said I hate you. I hate you, and I do not want to be your son."_

_There was a pause as Thranduil processed this. His face was blank as he replied, only within his and Legolas's minds._

_'And I wish I had never fathered such a failure.'_

"Yes," Legolas mumbled, and the tears that began to roll down his cheeks were those of complete emotional agony. "He said he wished he had never fathered me…"

Herethin stood up abruptly. Legolas's head followed the motion as if he were practicing acting like he could see, which he probably was.

"Get some rest, Legolas," he said, trying to keep the fury from his voice. His features softened as he looked upon the suffering elf. "And try to sleep, penneth. Don't leave the bed, if you can help it. I'll be back soon."

"Where are you going?" Legolas asked as Herethin stalked away.

"I think," the healer said, opening the door. "It's time your father and I had a little chat."

O:o:O

Thranduil looked up from his work, starting as he heard the door to his study being slammed open without a knock or call. He looked up, ready to reprimand whoever it was. Anomeda had just left and he had just gotten back to his work, and now he was interrupted again.

Herethin's furious red face greeted him, and before he could register what was happening, he was shoved up against the wall, and Herethin's face was so close he could feel his hot breath on his cheeks.

"HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO HIM?" Herethin screamed, and Thranduil tried to back away but realized he couldn't.

"Herethin, what on Arda are you talking about? Herethin, I am busy—"

"Too busy to go and apologize to your son, who is suffering alone in his room?" Herethin yelled, his breaths fast and his face heated.

"How dare you say he was a failure? He has done so much good for this kingdom, and for you!"

"Get away from me, Herethin. You do not have the right to—"

"To what? To care for him? Do you even understand the depths of the sorrow you have caused him? Open your bond, Thranduil! Please!"

Herethin stepped away, falling to his knees with a dull thud as Legolas's heartbroken face filled his mind once again. Tears gathered in his eyes.

"Please, Thranduil. No one can withstand this much. He is breaking."

"Withstand _this much?_" Thranduil said, laughing humorlessly. "He cannot get over one fight with me? Then he truly is weak."

"Do not say that about him! You know there is more! He was already weakened!"

Thranduil's anger and bitterness was slowly being overcome by confusion. He looked down at Herethin.

"What do you mean?"

Herethin looked up at his king with equal confusion and sadness in his eyes.

"You did not see it?" he breathed. "How could you not see the signs?"

"The signs of what?" Thranduil said, impatient and extremely worried for his son.

"The sea-longing, Thranduil," Herethin said simply, looking up at the king with pained eyes. "The sea-longing has been awakened in him."

Thranduil froze. His muscles clenched, and he blinked.

_'No, no, no, no, no, not Legolas, not my little leaf, not my Greenleaf, no!'_

He began to run.

_A/N: YAY DRAMA!_

_PLEASE REVIEW!_


	9. Letting Go

_Chapter 9_

Thranduil dashed down the hall. Though his son's chambers had always been close by, now they were all too far away.

"Legolas!" he cried, and he tried the door, but it was locked. He pounded his fists on the wood. "Legolas, please let me in!"

There was no response, and Herethin came up beside him with the keys. He deftly unlocked the door and Thranduil thundered into the room.

It was empty.

Legolas was not there.

Thranduil looked around frantically, and his eyes came to rest upon the box that held the papers Legolas used for writing. It was tipped over, and it was obvious Legolas had had some trouble finding it. A quill and an open pot of ink were on the desk beside a piece of paper.

Thranduil, hoping that the paper did not say what he hoped it did, went over to the desk and held the paper with shaking hands. Legolas's script, usually flowing and elegant, was shaky and slanted on the page, showing obviously his blindness.

_To Herethin._

_I'm sorry. You told me to stay here, but I could not. You need not worry for me. I will be fine._

_To Ada._

_I am sorry. I hope someday you can forgive me for wronging you time after time. I have been nothing but a burden, and you already have so much weight on your shoulders. I want to ease it a little, so I have left. Don't worry, you will see me again. I hope that by then you will have forgiven me. And do not bother trying to open our bond; my mind is closed, and it will remain so until you next see me, in Valinor._

_Namariie, Ada, Herethin._

_Legolas_

"No! Legolas!" Thranduil screamed, falling to his knees and clutching at the sphere, which dangled from its string around his neck. It was still glowing brightly and it was swirling, the blues and greens like a storm raging, as he knew Legolas's emotions to be. But even with the help of the sphere, his son's mind was in such a tight lockdown that he could not feel any part of their bond, and that entire section was getting colder and more distant by the minute.

"LEGOLAS!" he yelled, and guards rushed into the room, not knowing what was going on. He did not acknowledge them and as he searched for their bond but found nothing hot tears began to run down his face.

_'I'm so sorry, Legolas, Valar I'm so sorry…' _he murmured into the empty void where his son was supposed to be.

_'I love you, Ada,' _came a faint voice, and his son's apparition appeared before him. He wore the saddest smile that Thranduil had ever seen, and it made him want to cry even more. Legolas's hand stroked his father's cheek softly. _'I will see you soon.'_

_'No, Legolas! Please don't leave me!' _Thranduil sobbed, reaching for his son and grabbing his hand within his own.

_'Legolas! Please come back to me! I'm so sorry Legolas, Valar, I'm so sorry! I love you, please don't leave me!'_

_'As good as it makes me feel to hear you say that,'_ Legolas said, _'I must leave. I cannot bear it another day, Ada. Please do not make me.'_

Thranduil knew that Legolas was referring to the sea-longing, and his fingers released Legolas's hand, allowing him to fade.

_'I should have seen it, I should have known. I could've helped you,' _he said, and Legolas smiled his last whispered words echoed in Thranduil's mind.

_'Yes. You could have.'_

And then he was gone.

O:o:O

Legolas saw his father fade and he blinked, feeling the rough bark of the tree underneath his fingertips. The tree, realizing he had come back to awareness, sent him an image of the forest again.

He had been doing this for a while now. The trees knew he could not see, so they sent an image of what the forest looked like from their perspective, so he could practically see again, though it was through their eyes. He could walk through the branches because he could see them there. He could see the sky. He could see the animals running and scurrying beneath him. He let out a laugh, hugging the tree.

"He said I could go. He's not going to try and stop me! I can go to Valinor!"

The tree chuckled lightly in response, and then it saddened.

_'I guess this is goodbye, then.'_

"Aye, mellon-nin," Legolas said, putting his forehead against the tree and closing his eyes. "Namariie."

And then he leapt gracefully to the next tree, and it gave him its image and a whispered goodbye. Swinging lightly through the branches from one to the next, he felt he could really see once again.

He felt free.

O:o:O

Thranduil was standing in front of his people, and for the first time in his life, he did not know what to say. He gulped, looking at their expectant faces. Everyone who lived within fifty miles of the palace was there, and they knew it must be important for their king to summon all of them to the courtyard.

"My friends," he said, looking up and swallowing the growing lump in his throat. "I have brought you here to share sad news."

Everyone's expressions turned grave, and they all nodded. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes briefly before opening them again, his gaze sad.

"My son, Prince Legolas, has left us. He is on his way to the Grey Havens as we speak."

The crowd burst into life, some people crying out in protest, others beginning to cry, and still others looking shocked.

Thranduil raised one hand, and they fell silent.

"When he was on the Quest, the sea-longing was awaken in him. He could not bear it any longer, and he has left."

Everyone had stopped protesting and were simply standing, quiet mourning etched on their faces.

"Thank you," he said. He bowed his head, eyes clouded. "You are all dismissed."

_A/N: Sorry for the late update. Had stupid writer's block for a few days._

_Please Review!_


	10. The Twins

_Chapter 10_

It was five weeks later that the first mentionable thing happened within the kingdom of Mirkwood. There had been five weeks of quiet mourning, and everyone had been subdued. It was another such day when Thranduil sat at his desk, eyes perusing the paper in front of him that spelled out the new trade agreements with Laketown. When he had finished reading and crossed out one section that was completely ridiculous, he signed his name at the bottom, moving it to the growing pile of finished work.

A knock came at the door.

"Enter!" he called, picking up the next paper and reading the first paragraph quickly before looking up to see who it was.

Anomeda stepped in, a stack of papers in her hands. She smiled warmly at him.

"Hello, Thranduil," she said, and he smiled back for the first time in almost a month.

"Hello, Anomeda. What brings you here?"

"Well," she said, placing the small pile of papers on his desk and pulling up a chair from the corner of the room. She sat in her usual perch on the edge of it. "The council has been talking, my lord. They are squabbling amongst themselves about why you have not chosen a new heir yet."

"A new heir?" Thranduil said, the words hitting him like a blow to the face.

"Yes. Now that Prince Legolas has left, they think you need to choose a new heir, in case anything happens to you, or when you eventually follow in his footsteps, which everyone knows you will," she said, cutting off his indignant 'how do you know I am even going to leave?'

"I suppose," he said, and Anomeda smiled, pointing at the papers.

"These are updated copies of the old version of the papers that are needed to change your heir to someone else."

"How am I going to choose someone, though?" Thranduil said, putting his head in his hands and sighing.

"Well, it could be anyone, really, but I would recommend someone with political experience who is well-liked by the people."

"Alright," he said, sighing. "Thank you, Anomeda."

Anomeda stood up, taking this as dismissal, and walked to the door. She turned back to him, wearing a sad smile.

"And Thranduil?" she said. "I'm sorry about your son."

And then she was gone.

Thranduil looked at the paper and scanned it. He just had to put a person and their relation to him and sign.

Who could he put? Someone with political experience, she said. So…one of the council members? He thought of each of them, one by one, in his mind. None of them seemed to fit the bill.

Then he remembered. Anomeda was part of the council, was she not? What better a person to fill in for him, if need be? He wrote her name on the line and wrote "councilor" on the relationship line.

He paused before he signed. Putting his name on that line would be accepting that Legolas was really not going to come back. It would mean admitting that his son was lost.

With a shaking hand and a deep breath, he signed the paper.

O:o:O

"I should have brought a horse," Legolas murmured, walking through the trees. If he had been smart enough to think ahead, he would have brought a horse, food, and other clothes, and then he would not have had to stop so often.

As an elf, he could travel for about three or four days without stopping, but at that point even he had to stop. Especially because receiving the images from the trees had been a constant drain of his energy since he had left, but there was no way to avoid it. He needed to see.

_'There is a town,'_ the tree he was standing in whispered to him, and he felt relief wash over him and his tired body relaxed slightly.

"How far is it?" he asked the tree.

_'About a mile and quarter west,'_ the tree said, pointing him in the right direction by making a part of the image flicker slightly.

"Hannon le," said Legolas, turning to face that direction. With a whispered goodbye to the tree, he left and began to make his way to the town.

He arrived several minutes later. The smell of civilization, consisting mostly of hot food and sweat, reached him before the sounds did. When he was within a mile, the sounds of the bustling people could be heard.

He jumped lightly from the tree, and the sudden loss of his sight stunned him for a moment. The snow that had fallen over the last few days was barely marked where he had landed.

He closed his eyes, listening. There was a clink of armor. Guards? He kept listening. Yes, they were guards. He assumed they were surrounding a gate, so that was the direction that he went in.

"Who goes there?" a gruff voice asked, and he turned slightly and deliberately so it wouldn't look like he was surprised at all.

"Who wants to know?" he asked, trying his best to make it look like he was looking the man over.

"I am Hayden. I am the head guard. It is my job to decide who may and may not enter this town."

"I am Legolas Thranduilion," he said, bowing his head slightly and imagining the shock that always registered in the eyes of men when they heard his name. "I am the Crown Prince of Eryn Lasgalen, and I am merely passing through on my way to another destination."

The clinking of armor once again told him that all the guards around him were kneeling before him, and for the first time in many days he chuckled earnestly.

"Rise," he said, using the professional language he always used with his subjects. "I am not a prince here, merely another elf."

"There have been a lot of elves coming through here lately, your Majesty," Hayden said, and Legolas had to resist the urge to laugh again at the formality. He could practically feel the awe coming in waves off of the man, who he could tell was actually a lot larger than himself.

"Really? How many?"

"Well, only two, but that is a lot for our town. They were travelling together. They are staying at the inn, I think. They arrived yesterday."

This information whirling around in Legolas's mind.

"Well, thank you Hayden, but have I been deemed good enough to enter your town?"

"Of course, of course!" Hayden said hurriedly, and Legolas's tinkling laughter sounded once more.

Most people in the vicinity looked up and let their ears be blessed with the sound, but two figures in particular were drawn to it. They shared a glance, and smiles grew on their faces as they saw the golden-haired elf entering the town, and the stares that followed him. They themselves looked more like the people of this town, with dark hair and eyes, but Legolas was the opposite, and he stood out far more.

They shared another look when Legolas walked right by them, not even recognizing them. Even with their cloaks on, Legolas should have been able to tell it was them.

Deciding to follow him, they saw his movements were slow and careful, and not as fluid as they usually were. He paused before entering the inn, and his hand seemed to search for the doorknob. They looked at one another in horror. What if he was injured?

He got a key from the innkeeper and began to go towards the stairs, his hand trailing the wall to help him. They were really getting worried now.

He entered his room, the third on the right, and the door closed gently behind him.

"What do we do?" the older elf murmured to the younger, and the younger looked at the closed door, eyes swimming with indecision.

"I think…we should go in," said the younger, and the older nodded in confirmation. They walked soundlessly to the door, and the older opened it, wincing as the hinges squealed.

Hearing the door being opened, Legolas was immediately on the alert. He drew his knives, getting into a fighting stance. His unseeing eyes narrowed.

"Legolas?" the younger said, entering the room and throwing his hood back. The older followed suit.

"Who are you?" Legolas spat, still gripping his knives with white knuckles as he realized how difficult it would be to defend himself from whoever it was. Another voice spoke up. Two of them? He had no hope.

"Legolas, it's us!" the second voice said, and Legolas continued to scowl. He could not show weakness to his enemies.

"Tell me your names," he said, and his glare hardened. "Now."

"Legolas, it's us!" one voice said, and the other joined it to say their names in unison.

"It's Elladan and Elrohir!"

_A/N: Oh snap._

_Sorry for the long time no update. I was sick and I spent a few days on a Loki (from the Avengers and Thor) craze. I am still on that craze, but I am back in Legolas mode now, too. Updates should be more frequent this week._

_Please review!_


	11. Thank the Valar

_Chapter 11_

Legolas abruptly dropped his weapons, and the fine metal crashed to the floor. He hesitantly stepped forward, reaching out, and his fingers brushed against Elrohir's long hair.

"Dan, Ro…" Legolas said, and he felt Elrohir pull him into a hug. His body was rigid for a few moments, but he soon relaxed into the warmth of the younger twin. Elladan joined the hug as well, coming from behind Legolas.

"Oh, Legolas," Elrohir murmured into the golden hair, which lacked its usual shine.

The twins pulled back at the same time, and Legolas was left disoriented and unbalanced, and he fell to his knees.

"Legolas!" the twins cried at the same time, and they came up beside him, and he batted their fretting hands away.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," he said, running a hand through his hair and closing his eyes briefly. "I'm just really tired."

Noting in concern that Legolas was not getting back up, Elladan made a decision, fearing he would just fall asleep on the floor. He went over to Legolas and placed his hands strategically under his knees and back, lifting him bridal style.

"Ack!" Legolas cried, reaching out blindly and barely missing Elladan's face with his flailing arms. Gasping in pain as the movement tugged at his still slowly healing wound, his face scrunched up in agony. Elladan frowned but didn't say anything more, placing Legolas gently on the bed in the middle of the room.

After taking off his friend's boots, Elladan pulled the covers over him, swathing him in the white sheets. Legolas fell asleep almost immediately, his eyes glazing over and dreams engulfing him.

Elrohir had started a blaze in the fireplace, and the two of them sat near it, their backs to Legolas and the light of the flames dancing on their faces.

"Something is wrong," Elrohir whispered, his eyes swimming with distress. "He didn't even recognize us!"

"And he is injured," Elladan said, thinking about the pained look on Legolas face as he carried him to the bed. The two sat in silence for a little while, mulling over their individual thoughts as Legolas slept silently on the bed, unmoving. A few hours passed, and the sun set slowly, leaving the room completely devoid of light besides the fire.

A moan from Legolas snapped the two of them out of their deep thoughts, and their identical faces whipped around to stare at him. His skin had grown pallid, and his breathing was harsh and uneven. Sweat was rolling in beads down his face.

The two of them quickly got up and went to his side, seeing that his eyes were searching frantically, though they remained glazed in sleep.

"Ada…" he moaned, clenching the sheets on top of him with white knuckles. "Ada, I'm sorry…I know, I know…I am a failure, Ada…I'm so sorry…"

Elladan and Elrohir looked at each other, alarm showing clearly on their faces.

"Legolas," Elrohir said, shaking the blonde's shoulder gently. "Legolas, wake up."

Legolas jolted up immediately, his eyes snapping to alertness and his hand clutching at his head, tangling themselves in the golden locks. His immediate reaction was to untangle himself from the sheets around him, and he struggled against them. Elladan carefully took them off, dumping them at the bottom of the bed and going over to Legolas, touching him lightly on the shoulder.

Legolas jerked away, his eyes looking frantically around.

"Who are you?" he yelled, curling in on himself.

"It's me, Elladan, Legolas," Elladan said, and Legolas visibly relaxed. His eyes looked directly into the fire, and he did not bother to move them.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered, and Elrohir suddenly felt an overwhelming need to cheer him up. He pulled his brother next to him, and they stood in front of Legolas.

"Which is which?" they said in unison, playing a game they had played with Legolas many times. They had no idea how, but somehow Legolas always inexplicably knew which of them Elladan was and which Elrohir was.

"I…I don't want to play this game with you right now," Legolas said, looking around almost frantically.

"Come on, Legolas! Just tell us which is which and we'll leave you alone," Elladan said.

"I…Elrohir, and…Elladan?" Legolas said, pointing in the directions of their voices, having no idea which was which.

"Wrong," Elladan said, brushing a strand of hair behind Legolas's ear. As Legolas tried to look away, he took his friend's face in his hands, noticing that he still wasn't looking at his face.

"What has happened to you, Legolas?" Elladan said, and Elrohir came up beside him, having come to a realization, his eyes wide as he looked at Legolas, whose glassy eyes suddenly giving him away.

"Legolas, are you…blind?" Elrohir asked, and Legolas's eyes beginning to fill with tears was all the answer he needed. He came behind his long-time friend and embraced him as he started to sob.

Elladan looked on in shock as Legolas practically admitted his blindness. His heart began to beat wildly in his chest. The thought of never seeing Legolas take in the beauty of Rivendell's gardens, gaining teasing from him and Elrohir, made tears come to his eyes.

Though he loathed being beaten by Legolas on the training grounds, the thought that someday he might not be able to had never crossed his mind. Legolas was strong. Legolas was beautiful. There was no way Legolas could be reduced to this empty shell of a being.

Legolas stubbornly wiped away his tears, leaning against Elrohir's toned chest, listing to it beat beneath his ear. He tried to relax in the comfort of his friend, but it was hard to give trust to anyone who you could not see. His muscles refused to get rid of their tenseness.

"How long?" Elrohir murmured into Legolas's hair. "How long has it been like this?"

"Six weeks," Legolas said. "I should be back to normal any day now."

Elrohir gave him a questioning glance but, realizing he couldn't see it, voiced his question aloud.

"What do you mean?"

"It is only temporary," Legolas said, his face showing he was surprised that the twins didn't know that. "It is from spider poison. It lasts a month, and then I will see again."

Elladan's emotions fled him and he felt a wave of relief. Legolas would see again. It was only temporary. Things would be normal again.

"Thank the Valar," he breathed, and he too came to hug Legolas. "Thank the Valar."

_A/N: Please review! I haven't got as many reviews as usual lately and it makes me sad L._


	12. Of Course

_A/N: If you didn't see, I updated the previous chapter. I realized Legolas said that he had only been blind for a week, but I had done a five week time skip the chapter before that! Now Legolas's sight is due back any day._

_Chapter 12_

Thranduil was not at all formal the next day at breakfast. There were about three other elves in the dining hall, all of which he knew fairly well, so he was very relaxed during the early-morning meal. It was five o'clock in the morning, and no one was usually up. Legolas was the only one who usually woke up so horribly early, with a few exceptions.

Anomeda happened to be one of those exceptions, apparently.

"Good morning, Thranduil," she said, settling beside him with a plate of food in her hands. She lifted a pastry to her mouth and closed her eyes, savoring the taste.

"'Morning," said Thranduil, mumbling it through a mouthful of food. Looing briefly up at him, Anomeda burst into hysterical laughter.

Thranduil looked at her inquisitively.

"What?" he said, and she laughed all the harder.

"You…look like…a chipmunk!" she said between laughs, referring to his cheeks, which were full to the brim with food.

Thranduil swallowed, and his face returned to its normal size. He allowed himself a small smile as he took the next bite, going slower this time.

"So, why are you up so early?" Thranduil asked, picking a strawberry up from his place, looking at it for a moment before putting it down again, not having the heart to eat it. Legolas had loved strawberries.

"I am always up at this time," she said. "Although I must say I am surprised that you are. Usually only prince Legolas was in the halls at this hour."

Thranduil nodded, looking once more at the strawberry. A few moments of silence passed before Anomeda piped up again.

"I was reading last night, and I came upon the _strangest_ custom of the other races."

"What was it?" Thranduil asked, lifting his eyes from the strawberry to look at her face, which was glowing in the early-morning light.

"Humans, and dwarves, I assume, _remarry_ after a spouse dies. Can you believe that?"

Thranduil blinked in surprise.

"I did not know that," he said, and he thought about it. "Although I suppose it makes sense, given that they do not know if they will meet again after death or not."

"I still don't understand it," Anomeda said, shaking her head. "Then again, I have never really felt love before…but I guess there is still time. Plenty of time."

Thranduil smiled.

"There's always more time for an elf," he said, and handed his plate to a nearby servant, who took it to the kitchens to be cleaned.

He stood, giving her a small bow.

"Well, excuse me but I need to go get back to my oh-so-tempting paperwork." She laughed at that.

"See you at the meeting?" she said, referring to the council meeting scheduled for later that day.

He nodded to her and turned, robes dragging as he walked back to his office, a small smile gracing his face.

O:o:O

Legolas woke up once more from a long sleep, having dropped off in Elrohir's arms minutes after their conversation. He heard the door creak open, and someone stepped in. Well, two people did. Their footsteps were too light to be human, so he smiled in the direction.

"Hey," he said.

"Good morning," the twins chimed at the same time, and their footsteps shuffled around the room. Legolas involuntarily tensed as Elladan's hands touched his shoulders, but he relaxed as he felt how warm they were.

"You're freezing, Legolas!" Elladan exclaimed, and Legolas gave a small smile.

"I was travelling in the snow for five weeks, Elladan," he said, assuming it was Elladan because of the sound of his voice. He did not mention that even if he should've warmed up by now, the sea-longing and his wound both slowed the speed at which he recuperated.

"Five weeks? What were you, walking?" Elladan joked, assuming Legolas had just ridden slowly.

"Yes," Legolas said, and Elladan's eyes widened.

"What? You _walked_ here from Eryn Lasgalen? Legolas, that's over a hundred leagues!"

"I know. That's why it took me five weeks," Legolas said. "Don't worry. Just forget about it."

"Still…" Elladan said, and his voice was firm. "Let Elrohir look at your wound."

Legolas nodded, not bothering to ask how Elladan knew he was wounded. The tunic was carefully pulled off of his head, and he winced as he had to put his arms over his head. Then his undershirt was unbuttoned, and his skin met the warm air of the room. He felt the tenseness leave his muscles at the heat.

Another pair of hands—Elrohir's, he assumed—unwrapped the bandages wrapped tightly around his torso. The smell of infection filled the room as the bandages were removed. He winced as Elrohir carefully forced the bandages off. He hadn't thought to bring any medical supplies. He had noticed the infection setting in the last few days as he travelled, but he could not take the bandages off and risk worse consequences.

Elrohir winced in sympathy as he looked at the festering wound. It seemed to have closed mostly, but there was pus leaking out of it slowly and the skin around it was red and inflamed.

"We need to clean this up," he said, and he looked at Elladan, who immediately knew what he wanted and went to heat some water. Elrohir sat down on the bed, taking Legolas's cold hand in his own.

"How did this happen, Legolas?" Elrohir asked, and Legolas gave a bitter smile as he replied.

"Somehow a spider got into a council meeting. I had to defend the council members. I got bitten and poisoned, but I'm alright."

Elrohir gave a sad smile.

"Of course you are."

_A/N: Whoa, sorry for the long time no update, guys! Now I am on vacation, I will be better._

_Also, check out the ask blog I have taken over on tumblr: Ask-the-Fellowship! It's hilarious! Send me questions; I haven't got any yet._

_As always, please leave a review. Thanks!_


	13. Proud

_Chapter 13_

Legolas was sitting comfortably, his wound cleaned and his body tiring once again. His eyes were drooping, and he held in a yawn.

"So, why are you guys in this town?" he asked. He smiled gently in the direction of Elladan and Elrohir, who were sitting on either side of the bed, watching him.

"We were on our way to meet Estel," said Elladan. "He is on his way to Rivendell, and we decided to meet him halfway."

Legolas nodded. There was a comfortable silence for a few moments.

"What about you, Legolas? What are you doing here?" Elladan asked. At the question, suddenly Legolas's mind was filled with the sound of the sea, the look of the waves, the cry of the gulls. Images whirled by him, and the crashing water called out to him in a voice strangely like his mother's.

_'Legolas, Legolas, Legolas…come to us…come home to us…'_

The aching longing that he had almost been able to ignore in the twins' presence hit him full force once again, so strong that it hurt physically. He whimpered, holding the spot over his heart where the pain seemed to be coming from. He took one hand and gripped his hair tightly, trying to use the pain as an anchor to keep him in reality.

_'Please make it stop please I can't take this anymore I can't when is this going to end when when will it stop please make it stop MAKE IT STOP.'_

"Legolas!" Elrohir exclaimed, jumping up and taking his friend's shoulders in his hands. "Legolas, what's wrong?" he began to panic as he saw the obvious pain marring Legolas's face. In hopes of helping him, he immediately reached out to touch Legolas's mind.

The tight lockdown of his mind made Elrohir's attempt at help bounce right off, and he recoiled in shock, almost falling backwards but instead finding himself in his twin's arms.

"Elrohir? Are you alright?" Elladan asked, sounding panicked. Elrohir nodded, sitting back up carefully and placing a hand on his head, grimacing. The mental blow had given him a bad headache.

Elladan, never one to allow anyone to hurt his twin, jumped up, rage filling his mind as he grabbed Legolas's wrists and held them tightly. Legolas squirmed, but Elladan took his chin and forced him to look him in the eye.

"Get it together, Legolas!" Elladan said, voice low and dangerous. Legolas's wide, fearful eyes bored into his own. "You hurt Elrohir! What on Arda are you _doing?_"

This seemed to bring Legolas back to his senses, and his eyes immediately searched the blackness surrounding him for Elrohir. His apparent distress didn't seem to make Elladan any less angry, and the Noldor continued to growl lowly at the prince even as he apologized.

"Ro! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"Shhh, it's alright," Elrohir said, shushing him gently. "I'm alright. Why is your mind so locked down, Legolas? Even your father couldn't connect with you with your mind in this state."

Legolas remained silent, lowering his eyes. Elrohir sighed.

"Alright. Never mind."

There was a tense pause, which Elrohir broke with a soft sentence.

"Go to sleep, Legolas. Elladan and I will be leaving in the morning. I assume you will be joining us?"

Legolas nodded, and his eyes showed his apology for refusing to answer the question, but the lingering exhaustion from his travels took over, and they glazed over in elven sleep.

Elladan was still seething at Legolas's now still form, and Elrohir took his twin's shoulders, forcing him to look into his eyes.

"Elladan, calm down. Look at who you are being hostile towards. That's _Legolas_, Elladan," he said, turning Elladan so that he was facing the pale elf on the bed. The rage drained slowly out of his eyes, and Elladan relaxed, sighing and leaning into Elrohir.

"I'm sorry…" he murmured. "I just don't like seeing you hurt."

"Ah, don't be so protective, brother," said Elrohir teasingly. "I'm fine."

It was quiet until Elladan got up, mixing a simple pain-relieving tea for Elrohir, who took it, giving his twin a grateful look as he sipped at it.

The sun rose to its peak in the sky.

O:o:O

If there was anywhere else he could be, Thranduil would be there. But no. He was stuck in a stuffy room filled with pompous lords and ladies, going over more trading agreements. He sighed as he looked upon the empty seat to his right. Legolas was so good at this, the meeting would have been finished half an hour ago if he had been present. But no. He wasn't. Thranduil had to deal with this on his own.

"…Is this correct, my king?"

Thranduil jolted to attention as his title was said, and he was sure he had a confused look on his face. The lord barely hid a sigh. He opened his mouth to repeat what he had been saying, but Lord Garien interrupted him.

"By the Valar, King Thranduil, what is wrong with you?"

Thranduil's head jolted to the lord's face. Garien was scowling at him, and for once his hatred toward Thranduil was obvious on his face. It was usually hidden behind a snarky mask, but it was real.

"Get over it already! He was a useless child anyway! Your son is gone, and you are still moping around almost a month after the fact."

The entire room was silent, and everyone looked to Thranduil for his reaction. The calmness on the king's face was terrifying.

"Lord Garien, you are hereby stripped of your membership in this council for disrespect and insubordination to your king and prince. You are free to leave now."

Shock registered on Garien's face. His family had always had a place within the council, and he had thought of it as his birthright. He thought he could get away with anything.

"What? You can't get rid of me! I am a counselor, I am a lord, I am better than your son would ever be—"

"Garien Genearion," Thranduil said, voice low and a smile, petrifyingly serene, on his lips. "Say one more thing about my son and I will make you wish you had never been born."

Garien fell silent at this, scared by the ferocious, protective gleam in the king's eyes.

"I will say it again, leave us," said Thranduil. Garien sat still for a moment, and everyone looked at him, proud smiles at their king dancing on their lips. After a pregnant pause, Garien stood abruptly, his chair falling with a jerk onto the floor. His robes flew behind him as he stomped out of the room, shutting the large door with a bang.

Thranduil smiled, remembering all the times Legolas had told him that he should take Garien off the council. He looked briefly upwards, holding the sphere in his fingers.

_'I hope I have made you proud, ion-nin.'_

_A/N: Hey, guys. From now on I am going to post a question at the end of each chapter. Tell me the answer in your review!_

_Question: How old, from my writing style alone (not author's notes), do you think I am?_

_I'm pretty interested in how y'all will answer!_

_Please review!_


	14. Sight

_Chapter 14_

"…Legolas…" a voice said, mumbling from the back of his mind. Legolas scrunched his nose up slightly in annoyance. Who was that? Why wouldn't they leave him alone? Dreaming was the only time he had the ability to see.

"Legolas, mellon-nin, wake up!" Legolas forced his eyes open, groaning at the effort. The blurry shapes of Elladan and Elrohir were above him.

A grin grew slowly on his face, and he threw himself at the twins, hugging them tightly.

"I can see, I can see!" he said, and the twins gave a little cheer, hugging him back.

They came apart, and Legolas watched, looking like seeing was his water and he had been stranded in the desert for weeks. His eyes followed Elrohir as he undid the bandages and looked approvingly at the way the wound was healing. It was nearly closed. Elrohir put a few herbs on it and put on new bandages before allowing Legolas to stand up, stretching his limbs for the first time in days. He looked around the room, taking in every detail, every movement. The twins laughed at his awe at the simplicity of the world.

Standing up, Legolas realized he was only in his leggings. He sent a pointed look to the twins, and Elladan took the tunic and undershirt from the table on the side of the room, handing them to his friend. Legolas smiled gratefully when he realized the twins had gotten his clothes cleaned for him.

He dressed and pulled on his boots quickly before strapping his weapons on his back and quickly combing and starting to re-braid his hair. He stopped. He was no longer a warrior of Eryn Lasgalen, or royalty. He left his hair to fall naturally over his shoulders. Elladan raised an eyebrow but Legolas avoided his gaze. The twins shared a worried glance as they left the room.

Legolas greeted everyone he saw with a warm smile, and he gave the innkeeper the key, laughing at something the man said and exiting the inn, the twins right behind him.

They stopped by the stable and purchased a horse for Legolas, who told the man who the horse belonged to to keep the change and the tack, and he rode bareback out of the stables, the men inside staring at him in awe.

"Come on, slowpokes!" Legolas called to the twins, and they ran with the grace of the elves to catch up to him.

"You have a horse! How do you expect us to keep up?" Elladan panted, and Legolas laughed, drawing up besides the small building outside the inn where their horses were staying. The twins went in and came out with their horses, and the three galloped at top speed out of the town, leaving many admiring humans in the wake.

A few hours later, the three elves finally met up with the group of humans. The flag of Gondor flew above them, and Aragorn rode in front, his crown on his head and his being very kingly.

"Estel!" Legolas cried, and the guards surrounding Aragorn immediately went on the alert until they saw the growing smile on their king's face.

"Legolas! Mae govannen, mellon-nin," Aragorn said, jumping off his horse and running to meet the elf, who had done the same. They grasped each other's forearms in the normal warrior greeting and smiled warmly. Elladan and Elrohir came up behind them, hugging them and making an Aragorn-Legolas sandwich, lifting the two protesting friends off the ground.

When they were finally put down Elladan and Elrohir immediately began to talk to Aragorn, and Legolas looked on with a smile.

And then the pain hit him again. When he left, he would never be able to see anything like this again; he would never see Aragorn again, or Gimli, or the hobbits. They would all live out their lives and die and he would never be there to see it. Hadn't he promised Estel that he would remain on Middle Earth until his ultimate demise?

"Legolas? What's wrong?" Aragorn said, alarmed at the sight of Legolas, bent over and gasping for air. The elf did not respond. "Legolas, speak to me!"

"I'm sorry!" Legolas yelled, and a confused look passed over the man's face. "I'm sorry I won't be there, I cannot do it anymore; I cannot—"

"Legolas, what on Arda are you talking about?" Aragorn asked. "You have nothing to be sorry for, mellon-nin."

"Please don't hate me for it, please, I don't want to! I have to!" Legolas said, his eyes boring into Aragorn, their desperation unnerving.

Aragorn took a deep breath, hating himself for what he was about to do, he gave Legolas a quick, sharp slap on the cheek.

The elf immediately took a small breath, his hand flying to his cheek. The wild look in his eyes slowly diminished until he was calm once more.

"I'm sorry," Legolas said quietly, brushing the unbraided hair that had fallen in front of his face to behind a pointed ear. "I do not know what came over me."

_'Do not tell him, do not tell him, you will break his heart…'_

Aragorn still looked very worried, but he nodded and allowed Legolas to walk over to his horse. He shared a concerned glance with the twins, who shrugged slightly, as if saying "we don't know either".

"Well, let us be going," Aragorn said, mounting again and trying to ignore his swirling thoughts. The twins also got onto their horses beside the now silent Legolas, and the group rode on.

A few days later, Rivendell was in sight. The mere sight of the valley sent another pang through Legolas's heart, thinking about how, if he left, he would never see it again.

The group rode in, the clattering of hooves drawing the attention of the guards, who spotted Elladan and Elrohir and let them all ride by.

"Ada! We are home!" Elladan and Elrohir called at the same time, and moments later Elrond was coming down the steps, graceful as ever.

"Estel!" he said, and Aragorn slid off the horse, immediately embracing his foster father. When the two came apart, Elrond nodded to the guards that had come with Aragorn and smiled warmly to Legolas.

"Legolas! I did not expect to see you here. How does Eryn Lasgalen fare?" he asked, putting his hand over his heart and bowing his head in traditional elven greeting. Legolas did the same before replying.

"Wonderful. There has been nothing major. Well, one incident," he said, referring to the spiders getting into the castle. "But other than that it's been great."

"Very good. You'll have to tell me about this one incident. But first, let us get you all something to eat."

_A/N: Hey guys! I couldn't think of a good place to end this chapter…_

_Thanks for your response to the question! I have been told I sound like a 24, 18, or 15 year old. Well, guys, I have some news for you…I'm only 13._

_Question: What do you think about my age? Are you surprised?_

_Please review!_


	15. Son of My Worst Enemy

_Chapter 15_

Elladan and Elrohir sat beside their foster brother and their father in his study, the fire blazing and filling the room with warmth and golden light. Each of them had a mug of tea in their hands, and they all sat in contented silence. Legolas had left them to go and bathe.

"Something is wrong with Legolas," Elladan said out of the blue, and Elrond frowned at him in concern.

"Whatever makes you think so?" he asked, thinking of Legolas's greeting when he had come to Rivendell about an hour ago. Nothing had seemed wrong.

"He's not wearing his braids. He's injured. He's having these random panic attacks. He was blind yesterday, and now he can see again."

"_What?_" Elrond and Aragorn said at the same time, and the twins went into detail and explained each of their statements. When they were finished, Elrond had one specific request.

"Tell me more about these 'panic attacks'," he said, a frown marring his face. What they could possibly mean had come to mind, but he pushed the thought away violently, not wanting to think about it.

"Well, there was one when we asked him what he was doing in the town where we met up with him, and another when he met with Estel," Elrohir said. "The first he didn't say anything, but when I tried to touch his mind, it was on tight lockdown."

"And when he met with me," Aragorn said. "he kept saying he was sorry that he wouldn't 'be there', and that he 'couldn't do it anymore.'"

Elrond's eyes widened, and he stood abruptly, his fears having been confirmed. His sons' eyes followed him, questioning.

"I need to have a talk with—" he began, but he was interrupted by a knock at the door. He sighed.

"Come in," he called, and a young guard stepped in, bowing quickly to Elrond before speaking.

"There is an urgent matter at the gate which requires your attention, my lord," he said, and Elrond sighed again.

"Alright. I'll be down in a minute," he said, and the guard nodded, bowing again before leaving.

"We'll come with you," said the twins, and Aragorn also stood, nodding his agreement.

The four of them made their way to the gates, receiving little bows from everyone they passed. When they reached the entrance to Imaldris, there was a bustling crowd filled with hushed elven whispers, and a high-pitched voice shouting.

"You can't do this to us! This is supposed to be a safe haven! You can't take us _prisoner—"_

"What is going on here?" Elrond said loudly, and the elves surrounding them separated so he had a view of the person who had been yelling.

It was a young human boy of perhaps ten with dark hair and frighteningly bright green eyes. Aragorn gasped as he saw them, the face of Legolas's previous captor flashing before his eyes. _Their eyes were the same._

Beside the boy stood an even younger girl of maybe six. She had plain brown eyes and lighter hair, and she held tightly to the boy's tunic, looking around in a fearful way.

Elrond approached them, kneeling before them and causing the girl to shy away even further.

"What brings you here, young ones?" Elrond asked, and the boy glared up at him.

"We have come here because it looked safe. We didn't think anyone would attempt to _capture_ us when we came in."

"Who tried to capture you?" Elrond asked. The boy pointed to the head guard, who turned an interesting shade of red.

"You misunderstand, my lord!" he cried, and it was that moment that Legolas chose to walk in on the scene, standing beside the twins and Aragorn. "He claims to be the son of Cyras!"

Everyone's heads immediately jerked to Legolas, whose eyes had widened considerably. The sight of the boy's eyes made his breathing speed up until he was practically hyperventilating.

"No, no, not again…" he murmured. The sound of his tearful voice sent a jab of sadness through the hearts of everyone present. "Please don't let them take me again…"

"Shhh, Legolas, we won't let anyone take you," said Elrohir. "He's only a child, anyway. Calm your breathing, mellon-nin."

Legolas looked at him, eyes wide and fearful, and within a second he was gone, dashing through the crowd and into the halls of Elrond once more.

The twins looked worriedly in his direction, and Aragorn gave a sad sigh. Elrond turned back to the children, swallowing his worry.

"I apologize on behalf of my guard," he said. "This is a place where anyone and everyone is welcome. Rooms will be prepared for you, if you would follow me."

He led the children into the halls and, after leaving them with a servant instructed to give them food and clean clothes, went in the direction that Legolas had gone.

O:o:O

Elrond found the prince sitting on a bench in the gardens, his head in his hands. The elf-lord sat down quietly next to him, putting a hand on his back. The two sat in silence for a few minutes.

"You mean to sail," Elrond said softly, and Legolas could do nothing but nod into his palms. Elrond sighed.

"Do you mind me asking why?" he said, and Legolas's voice sounded small when he answered.

"I can't do it anymore, Elrond. It hurts…"

Elrond nodded, rubbing soothing circles in the younger elf's back.

"Your father knows?" he asked, and Legolas nodded. "And he let you go?"

"Sort of. I ran away, but we connected our minds and talked for a while, and I convinced him."

"You ran away?"

Legolas nodded.

"We had a fight, and I was blind and I was angry and upset…I couldn't think straight, so I just left."

"Is that what is upsetting you? Something he said?" Elrond asked, reading the other elf easily. Legolas sighed. He took that as a yes.

"Show me," Elrond said, and Legolas put his fingers on the older elf's forehead, bringing the memory to mind and sending it to Elrond's mind.

When the memory faded to nothing, Elrond had a deep sadness etched on his face. He wordlessly pulled Legolas into an embrace, holding him there for a few moments, at which point small, hiccupping sobs wracked Legolas's body.

"Shhh, penneth, it's alright," he said soothingly, his hold tightening as he thought of the horrible things Thranduil had said to his son. The next time they met, the Sinda had better have a good explanation for his words.

"I'm sorry," Legolas mumbled. Elrond shook his head.

"There is nothing to forgive."

_A/N: Another awkward place to end…_

_Question: Do you think I make Legolas too much of a…wimp, for lack of a better word, in this story? I feel like I make him cry too much._


	16. Illusions and Death

_Chapter 16_

Legolas was walking around the gardens when he next laid eyes upon the children of his enemy. They were sitting, looking up at an old tree that was swaying lazily in the wind. He seemed to have calmed down.

"Hello," Legolas said, deciding the best way to deal with the fear was to convince himself that this was not Cyras or Veritinan, but it was merely a young boy who had inherited a trait.

The boy jumped slightly and the girl went to hide behind him, but he did not move, seemingly deciding that Legolas was not overly threatening. Well, he only looked to be about twenty and very skinny.

Legolas sat down next to the boy, and they both watched the tree for a moment. Legolas closed his eyes to listen to it. The girl came out cautiously, keeping a wary eye on Legolas.

"The tree likes the two of you," he stated, and the boy and girl looked at him with confusion written on his face.

"What?" asked the boy.

"The tree. It says it likes you."

"Trees can't talk!" the girl said, looking at him as if he had gone crazy.

"Yes they can. But only a few can hear it."

The boy's eyes widened, and he looked up at Legolas with newfound awe. The sight of his eyes sent a twinge through Legolas's heart. He sighed.

"Tell me, what are your names?" he asked.

"Darean," he said. "And this is my sister, Allenda."

"I am Legolas. Legolas Thranduilion," Legolas said. The boy looked up at him, his expression surprised.

"My father hates you," he said. "He came back, and there was so much blood, he said you'd tried to kill him for no reason…Why did you try to kill him?"

"He had hurt me," Legolas said simply. There was a pause before he spoke again.

"What do you mean, 'when he came back'?"

"Well, when Daddy came back from looking for you, of course!" Allenda said.

"Came back? But I killed him!" Legolas said, and the boy shook his head.

"No you didn't, because Daddy really did come back. And then he left again."

Legolas's eyes had widened in shock, and he felt panic setting in. Cyras was alive, he was coming…

"Did he, perchance, tell you where he was headed?"

The boy looked utterly calm when he replied.

"Mirkwood."

O:o:O

Thranduil left the council room, a smug smile on his face. The remaining council members were joking and laughing, the atmosphere lighter than it had been in a long time.

"Thranduil? It's nearly lunch time. Would you care to join me?" Anomeda asked, and Thranduil smiled a genuine smile for the first time in ages.

"Sure."

They went by the kitchens to get some food, but instead of sitting down at one of the large tables, like he expected, Anomeda led him into the residents' wing of the castle, stopping at a door and unlocking it.

Inside was a large chamber that he assumed was hers. It was the typical layout, with the living space in the front with doors to the bathroom and study, and the bedroom after that. The furniture was a dark blue, as was the carpet, which was springy like moss under their feet.

Anomeda sat down on one of the couches, and Thranduil sat on the opposite one. They chatted aimlessly for a while, eating their food quickly.

"…I'm just so glad he's off the council, now," Thranduil said. "We don't have to worry about all of his stupi—"

He had not noticed Anomeda coming closer to him throughout the ordeal, and was therefore completely unprepared when she pressed her lips to his.

The fire that he had not felt since his wife had left him was set ablaze once more, and the haze that came with love filled his mind. Her tongue pressed demandingly against his lips, which parted easily, making her moan lowly. Her hands slid along his chest, locking themselves around the sphere which was glowing brightly on its string.

And then she yanked.

The string broke, and her hand let go of the sphere. Thranduil immediately pulled away, horror and shock registering on his face. The sphere fell slowly, but he could not force his body to move and grab it. It hit the ground, shattering like ice. The pieces scattered, sent outward by the force of hitting the ground. The blue-green energy from inside it hung suspended in the air above the broken sphere for a moment, as if pondering what to do. And then it dispersed and joined the air, leaving only broken shards of glass in its wake.

"NO!" Thranduil yelled, kneeling by the pieces and gathering them in his hands. "No!" If Legolas was already on Valinor, this probably wouldn't affect him, but if he was still travelling, he would be dead. Although he knew he would see his son again either way, he didn't want him to die!

Anomeda's face seemed to ripple, and then fall away. Her eyes changed, turning to a spine-chilling green. Her hair lost its length and color, turning to a dull blonde. She grew taller and bulkier.

Cyras stood before him.

"YOU!" Thranduil cried, rage filling him. He pulled his sword from its sheath, calling for the guards he was sure would be close by.

Cyras laughed at Thranduil's angry face.

"You can kill me," he said calmly. "But that will not bring back your son."

O:o:O

Legolas took a deep breath, pushing back his memories. Darean had demanded to know what his father had done to the prince, and he had told the boy his horror story.

The boy sat, thinking. His father couldn't have done that! Daddy was nice! But whenever he had spoken of the elf named Legolas, his Daddy had changed. Anger and hatred had filled his face, and his voice had grown harsh and cold. Maybe he could have done that, if he hated Legolas so much. But why did he hate him so?

His sister's scream filled the air, and his head jerked to her. She was sitting, screaming, next to the elf.

"LEGOLAS!" she cried. "LEGOLAS!"

Darean scrambled over to them, seeing that the elf's eyes had closed and his skin had paled dangerously.

Legolas toppled lifelessly to the ground.

_A/N: OH MY GOODNESS._

_NO COMMENT NEEDED._

_WOW._

_PLOT TWISTS._

_Question: Are you surprised? Hehe…_

_Please review!_


	17. On My Way

_Chapter 17_

"SOMEONE, PLEASE HELP ME! OH ERU, LEGOLAS! WAKE UP!"

Elrond heard the scream from the gardens, and immediately his feet were running. That was the voice of the son of Cyras!

He saw the two children kneeling by Legolas, screaming frantically. They hovered above him, not knowing what to do. They were only children, anyway. They could not be expected to know anything of healing.

Elrond skidded ungracefully to his knees, taking in the appearance of the fallen elf. His face was deathly pale, and his eyes were closed. His mouth hung slightly open, and his entire body was limp.

"Thranduilion! What has befallen you?" he cried, but Legolas remained unresponsive. Fearing the worst, Elrond put his fingers to Legolas's neck, searching for a pulse. At that moment, the twins and Aragorn pulled up beside him, looking in shock at their fallen friend.

There was tense silence as Elrond searched frantically for any sign of life. Elrohir also began to look, putting his fingers on Legolas's lips, looking for breath. Almost a full minute passed, and Elladan had hung his head in sadness when Elrond let out an ecstatic cry, feeling a tiny beat beneath his fingers. A moment later, Elrohir confirmed that he was still alive when he felt a shaky breath on his fingers.

Elrond gathered the elf in his arms, hating how lifelessly his head lolled to the side. He motioned for the twins, Aragorn, and the children to follow him as he rushed up the stairs and burst into the Halls of Healing.

The healers, who had been trained not to panic in such situations, quickly made up a bed and let Elrond lay Legolas upon it. While a few of them started to thoroughly examine him, while the head healer came up to Elrond.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I do not know. The only ones present were the children," he said. The healer's eyes immediately turned steely. Every elf who even vaguely knew Legolas harbored a great hate for Cyras.

"I bet the boy did it," he spat. "Wanted to finish where his father left off!"

"Stop it, Dulinnor," Elrond said. He knelt down to be level with the children. "What happened to Legolas? Do you know?"

Darean had tears running down his cheeks, which seemed to scale Allenda beyond belief.

"I didn't do it, I swear! We were just talking, and I was thinking so I wasn't paying attention, and Allenda started screaming and he just fell over!"

"Shhh, penneth, I believe you. Allenda, can you tell me exactly what happened before Legolas fell?"

The girl sniffed, but stepped forward.

"We were just sitting, and he looked at the tree, and then his eyes went…fuzzy, and then he went really white, and then he closed his eyes, and then he fell."

"Alright," Elrond said. His eyes were soft. "You may leave now. I will send someone to tell you news of Legolas when we find out what is wrong."

The boy looked like he was about to protest, but the girl just dragged him away, causing a small laugh from Elrond before he turned to Legolas, becoming serious once more.

"Can you see anything wrong?" he asked, and the healers all shook their heads.

"His breathing and pulse are still weak and getting weaker, but we can't find any reason why. He has a past injury but it's almost healed. There are no signs of poison," one of them said, and Elrond sighed, placing a hand on Legolas's cold cheek, looking sadly at his closed eyes.

"What is wrong with you?" he whispered. There was no response.

He reached out with his mind. Not in the direction of Legolas, but his father.

O:o:O

Thranduil was alone. The guards had captured Cyras and taken him to the dungeons, and all that was left was himself, the silence, and the broken shards of glass on the floor.

There was a small voice in his mind.

_'Thranduil.'_

He went into his own mind, looking confusedly at Elrond, who had somehow gotten there.

_'Elrond? What are you doing here?'_ he asked, taking shape within the void.

_'Legolas is in Rivendell.'_

Thranduil felt tears begin to well up in his eyes. At least his son had died in one of his favorite places.

_'He has fallen ill. We do not know why.'_

Thranduil immediately was filled with overwhelming relief.

_'Oh, thank the Valar!'_

_'Thranduil. That's bad,'_ Elrond said looking at him like he was crazy.

_'No, no, not the falling ill part! I thought he was dead. Valar, thank goodness.'_

Elrond looked at him quizzically, but he waved it away.

_'Never mind. I'll explain it all, when I get there. I'm on my way.'_

Elrond nodded, his presence fading from Thranduil's mind. The king snapped back to awareness, walking out of the door and pointing to a guard.

"You. Get my horse ready, and arrange an escort. I leave for Rivendell within the hour."

O:o:O

Thranduil was giving instructions to the guards and the remaining council members, explaining that Cyras needed to be kept under constant surveillance and that a party should be sent out to see if the real Anomeda was anywhere around. She had been a valuable member of his council for many millennia, and Cyras was not that old, so there really had been an elleth named Anomeda. He must have somehow taken her out of the palace and hidden her, and Thranduil was hoping that she was somewhere within the woods.

There were twelve elves accompanying him. They carried the banners of Eryn Lasgalen.

Even though he knew he should not give himself false hope, he had put his son's circlet within his robes' inner pocket, on the off chance Legolas wanted to come back to his home.

It was about noon when they set off. Thranduil looked onward.

_'I will be there soon, ion-nin. Wait for me.'_

_A/N: a pretty short chapter, but hopefully this made it so y'all didn't go explode or something._

_Question: Any ideas on how Cyras could still be alive? I hadn't really thought too much about it, but it needs to be explained._

_Please review!_


	18. Pale

_For the sake of this story, Galadriel, Celeborn, and Elrond did not sail at the same time as Frodo and Gandalf. Also, I am going with book-verse on Haldir, so he didn't die._

_Chapter 18_

Elrohir, Elladan, and Aragorn were the only ones in the healing room when Thranduil finally arrived almost a week later. Elrohir was preparing the strengthening tea that they had given Legolas every two hours or so. Though it didn't seem to be helping, they continued to do it, since it was the only thing that they could do.

Elladan was running his fingers through Legolas's hair, sighing as he looked upon the pale face. There had been no change, and he appeared to be holding onto life by a thin thread, though no one knew why. He was pale and his breathing was shallow, and he hadn't moved once.

Aragorn was asleep. The three of them had stayed through the night with Legolas, watching over him, and eventually the man had dropped off in his chair.

Thranduil came in quietly, thinking that Legolas might be asleep. Elrond came in behind him.

Thranduil could not see Legolas's face from where he was standing, and he was afraid to go look. All he could see was his son's unmoving form on the bed, and the illusion that he was only sleeping and would wake and minute could be shattered when his face was visible. Taking a deep breath, Thranduil stepped forward.

The last time his son had been that pale, Legolas had been the equivalent of a four year old mortal and dying from torture wounds. And though it was good that he was not wounded, Thranduil was still shocked by the lack of color in his skin, and the stillness he had that was akin to a corpse.

Thranduil made an unintelligible sound of distress, putting a hand on his son's cold cheek and struggling not to cry. What had he done?

He had not killed his son, he had done worse. He had stopped him from living. Since he hadn't died he couldn't go to Valinor, and he couldn't go there by sailing, and he couldn't stay in Middle-Earth if he wanted to. He was suspended between life and death, and that was a fate worse than death itself.

"Has he awoken?" Thranduil asked quietly, trying not to wake Aragorn, who was slowly creeping back to awareness.

"No," Elrond said, and Thranduil nodded, having already known that but asked anyway, out of habit.

"Come, we can go to my study to talk," said Elrond, and Thranduil and the twins nodded. As they stood up, Aragorn woke up enough to comprehend what was going on, and he stood up as well, stumbling slightly on legs that hadn't walked in half a day.

When they reached Elrond's study, the five of them sat down, and everyone looked expectantly at Thranduil. He sighed.

"When Legolas left for Valinor," he said. The twins and Aragorn looked shocked, and they looked at Elrond, who nodded his confirmation. "There was a period of time when nothing happened. Then, a week ago, a member of my council, Anomeda, ripped the sphere of my neck and threw it on the ground. It shattered. It turns out she was actually Cyras."

"How—how on Arda? Legolas killed him right before my eyes!" Aragorn exclaimed, and Thranduil shrugged.

"I don't know," he said. "I don't know how he is alive, but he is. He's in my dungeons now."

Everyone nodded, and Thranduil sighed, suddenly looking very tired. His company had ridden the entire way to Rivendell with no sleep in order to get there as fast as possible.

"What are we going to do?" he asked, putting his head in his hands. "I can feel our bond, but it is so faint…his soul is very far away. Too far for me to reach."

"Then we will need to get a group together. With the strength of multiple people I'm sure you could get there," Elrond said, and Thranduil looked up at him.

"Like who?"

"Well, there's Celeborn and Galadriel, to start. Then Glorfindel, Elladan, Elrohir, Estel, and myself. Then there's the remaining members of the Fellowship. And Haldir, perhaps? Do you think that would be enough?"

Thranduil thought about it for a moment before nodding. Elrond stood.

"I will write a letter to all of them immediately," he said, and Elladan and Elrohir also stood.

"Come, King Thranduil," they said in unison. "We will bring you to your room."

Thranduil nodded gratefully and stood. Aragorn walked away, saying something about watching Legolas. The group went to their separate destinations.

O:o:O

Gimli, the last of the needed people to arrive, was there a week and a half later. At that point, Legolas had been in his coma for two and a half weeks, and he looked exactly the same as the day he had entered it.

When Gimli arrived he was brought to a room with the others, who were Galadriel, who took most of his attention, Celeborn, Sam, Merry, and Pippin, the only hobbits from the Fellowship left since Frodo sailed, Haldir, Elladan, Elrohir, Aragorn, Elrond, Glorfindel and Thranduil. Elrond and Thranduil immediately explaining the situation to them. Legolas had been moved into a larger room so that when they tried to pull him back to life, there was enough space for everyone. Thranduil held his son's limp hand tightly within his own.

"It will take all of our strength combined to reach him," Thranduil said. "But we do believe it is possi—"

The door opened, and two young faces peeked around the corner of it. Seeing the bright green eyes, Thranduil immediately jumped up, drawing his sword and pointing it at Darean, who had entered with his sister and was now staring, wide-eyed, at the Elvenking.

"Cyras!" Thranduil yelled. "You think me a fool! You were even so stupid to let your eyes show when draping yourself in illusions!"

"Thranduil! No!" Elrond said, holding his friend back. "This is Darean and Allenda, the children of Cyras, not Cyras himself. They are my guests."

"Your _guests_?" Thranduil spat. "You have taken in the children of the one that broke my son the worst!"

"They are not like him, Thranduil," Elrond said, eyes begging him to understand. "They love Legolas! They were spending time with him right before he collapsed. He seemed to enjoy their company, as well."

Thranduil paused, looking at Legolas's still form. There was a tense silence as they wondered whether he would give in or not.

"Okay," Thranduil said, letting out a deep breath. "Alright. If Legolas really liked them."

Everyone let out the breaths they didn't know they had been holding, and Elrond turned to the children.

"Why have you two come?" he asked, and Darean, who still looked very afraid, said in a shaking voice.

"You said you would tell us news about him, but we never heard anything…" he said, and Elrond nearly facepalmed at his own stupidity. How had he forgotten to keep Darean and Allenda updated?

"We were just trying something that might help him wake up now," said Elrond. He motioned to two seats that were conveniently beside him. "Come, sit with us. Perhaps you can help."

The children came and sat shyly, Darean's gaze never once leaving Thranduil, who had re-sheathed his sword and was now sitting simply looking at his son. His quiet voice filled the room.

"Well then, let us begin."

_A/N: AHHHHH sorry for the long time no update! Please forgive me!_

_Question: What is your favorite chapter I have written in any of my LotR stories (Hello, Caught, Fading, and this one)? Why?_

_Please review!_


	19. Live

_Chapter 19_

Thranduil took Legolas's hand in his left and Glorfindel's in his right. Glorfindel took Sam's, who took Merry's, who took Pippin's. Pippin took Elladan's, who took Elrohir's, who took Galadriel's, who took Celeborn's. Celeborn took Haldir's, who took Aragorn's, who took Darean's, who took Allenda's, who took Elrond's. Elrond put his hand on Thranduil's shoulder, completing the circle.

Thranduil delved out of his mind and used the touching of Elrond's hand on his shoulder as a way to access his mind. From there he went to Allenda's, and continued until he had gone through everyone's minds and emerged back into his own. Now that everyone recognized his mind "fingerprint", they all followed the path he had left and came into his mind.

He had never had this many people in his mind at the same time, and they were all looking around curiously. Some of them had never been within another's mind before.

_'Do you see that?'_ he asked, pointing in the direction of his bond with Legolas. They all nodded. _'Follow me.'_

They went to the bond and Thranduil summoned the bridge to help them cross into Legolas's mind. He went smoothly across, but the others came slowly and fearfully. To fall from the bridge meant that the soul would be lost between the two minds.

When everyone had made it across, Thranduil finally took a moment to look around his son's mind. It was terrifyingly quiet. Even when asleep, a person's emotions and feelings still moved around and demanded to be felt, though more slowly than when they were awake. Now there was nothing happening. Absolutely nothing. The emotions sat quietly, as did the memories, and the main space where everything was meant to be happening was deserted.

_'It's so quiet…' _he said to Elrond, who had come beside him. _'Why is it so quiet?'_

_'His mind is completely shut down,' _Elrond said. _'The sphere breaking would kill any normal person, but he is too strong to die like that. So it just took almost all of his strength from him. Now he barely has enough to keep doing the things he needs to, like breathing, and there is none left over to keep his mind going.'_

Thranduil looked around sadly, and then turned back to Elrond.

_'What are we supposed to do?'_ he asked.

_'We need to…jump start it somehow. Perhaps if we give his emotions a little nudge it will make everything begin to function again. We will also need to give him strength so he can wake up.'_

_'Okay,'_ said Thranduil, and he got the attention of the others. _'We need to give Legolas our combined strength.'_

They all nodded, and he motioned to them. They all put their hands on his back and arms, so that he had contact with all of them.

As Thranduil began to take energy from all of them at once, his aura flared brightly, absorbing their power and taking it. When he held up his hand as an instruction for them to stop, they stepped back, looking at Thranduil.

The Elvenking's eyes were glowing a brighter blue than they ever had been, and he felt the power pounding in his ears as he breathed slowly, trying to hold it in. Everyone stared at him, suddenly seeing why he was held in such high standards and how powerful he was, even without the assistance of a ring of power.

He put his hand back on the wall of Legolas's mind, continuing to control his breathing. Slowly, he began to let the energy out, letting it leech out of him like water from a sponge. Legolas's mind took it greedily, grabbing onto it and letting it fill its stores. The mind around them began to hum with life, the emotions and feeling stirring with the return of life.

"Come on!" Thranduil yelled as he felt the barely noticeable vibrations beneath his fingers that showed Legolas was waking up. "Come on!"

He had given away all of the energy that the others had given him, but it wasn't enough. More! More! He needed more!

He dove into his own reserves, pulling up as much energy as he could muster, sending it into Legolas's mind. Eventually the emotions, before so still, burst out of their confinement in the corner of Legolas's mind and began to swirl around. Elrond beamed, having expected that this would eventually happen.

However, they did not expect the bone-chilling scream that echoed off all corners of Legolas's mind. Elrond immediately looked to Thranduil, but he looked as bewildered as himself. A horrifying revelation came to him. Legolas was screaming.

"Oh Valar, Thranduil, stop!" Elrond cried, putting his hands over his ears as the screaming grew louder. "You're hurting him!"

Everyone else had also covered their ears against the violent noise, and Thranduil immediately drew away from the wall, shock written on his features. He immediately shoved all of them in the direction of his own mind.

"Go! Go! Legolas can handle it, but we don't want to get caught up in it!"

The order and calmness in his mind was startlingly obvious when they came in, and they all left him silently and went back to their own minds.

Opening his eyes, Thranduil immediately looked to Legolas, who had grown, if possible, even stiller and paler.

"Legolas!" Thranduil cried, and he grabbed his son's shoulders. "Oh Valar, Legolas! Wake up!"

A tiny sound, a whimper of sorts, left Legolas's lips, and Thranduil almost fainted from relief. Legolas's eyes opened a slit, and he glanced around the room, seeing Galadriel, Celeborn, Haldir, Elladan, Elrond, Elrohir, Aragorn, Sam, Pippin, Merry, Glorfindel, Darean, Allenda, and his Ada standing around him, smiling. Everyone he cared about was in this room.

"None…leave," he whispered, his breath short and his body feeling incredibly weak. "All…stay…"

Thranduil smiled, and he placed a kiss on his son's forehead as tears prickled at the back of his eyes.

"None of us are going anywhere, tithen las-nin. Go to sleep. We'll be here when you wake up."

Legolas obeyed, closing his eyes and falling asleep almost instantaneously.

Thranduil could not help the wide smile that spread across his face. Legolas would live.

_A/N: WHOA! I'M SO SORRY I HAVEN'T UPDATED PLEASE FORGIVE MEEEEEEEEE._

_This chapter was extremely hard to write, but I have an awesome idea for the next one…XD_

_Also, tithen las-nin means my little leaf._

_Question: Do you think this story should go on for much longer? I have one more sort of subplot but then I think I should end it._

_PLEASE REVIEW!_


	20. Bonds Formed

_Chapter 20_

When Legolas had fallen asleep, Elrond spoke up.

"Thranduil. I want to talk to you."

He motioned to the door, and Thranduil followed, telling the others that if there was any sign that Legolas was waking up they should call for him.

When they arrived in Elrond's study, the first thing that happened was pain exploded on Thranduil's cheek. His hand immediately jerked to his face and he stared at Elrond, who was shaking with rage.

"What was that for?" Thranduil asked loudly, flinching back at the sudden burst of rage on Elrond's face.

"That's for your son, you moron!" Elrond yelled. Thranduil had never seen him so worked up. "How dare you say those things to him?"

What Elrond was talking about dawned on him suddenly, and he dropped his head in shame, remembering the cruel things he had said to Legolas before their parting.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, but it didn't seem to make Elrond any less angry.

"You're _sorry?_ No, really? Now that I am mad at you, you regret it! Did it dawn on you to think of your son before yourself for once in your life? It's not me you should be apologizing to!"

"I know. I know, Elrond," Thranduil said, and Elrond took a step back breathing heavily. He paused for a moment, closing his eyes and trying to control himself. When he opened his eyes again, all they held was disappointment.

"I'm sorry for hitting you. Though I did mean what I said, I should not have hurt you. I just…I thought you two were getting along better, and it is frustrating that when you fight he is the only one that seems to be seriously hurt. I don't like seeing him upset, Thranduil, especially not because of something thoughtless his own _father_ said to him."

"I know. Oh, Valar, Elrond, I know," Thranduil said, and Elrond saw a mixture of self-loathing and tiredness on his face. "I wish he had stayed long enough for me to apologize earlier, but I will do so when he wakes up next."

"Good," Elrond said. His hands clenched into vise-like fists, and he took a deep breath before relaxing them, deciding that if anyone was going to punch the Elvenking in the face, it should be the one who was hurt directly by his actions, not him in a moment of blind anger.

"Just…think beyond your own hurt next time, okay? Perhaps if you had not been so mad at him, he wouldn't have been inclined to leave so suddenly."

Thranduil nodded, his face shrouded with sadness at the reminder that Legolas would be leaving him soon. He wordlessly left the room and went back into the healing room where the others were. Elrond close on his heels.

O:o:O

Though Legolas still hadn't woken up, the next day Galadriel, Celeborn, Haldir, and Gimli had to leave and go their respective realms. They all said goodbye to him, though they knew he would not know it because he was sleeping, and went on their way, leaving only Darean, Allenda, Thranduil, Elrond, Elladan, Elrohir, and Glorfindel in Rivendell.

"What are you doing?" Thranduil asked Darean and Allenda, who he had found doing the most curious thing as he walked through the gardens. Darean had his sister standing unsteadily on his shoulders, and she was reaching up frantically for a branch on a large oak tree, but her arms simply weren't long enough.

Darean started at the sight of the Elvenking, and he dropped his sister, and Thranduil rushed forward, barely having time to catch her before she landed on the ground. Darean's face flushed.

"Thanks," he mumbled, and Thranduil sighed, taking the child's chin and pushing it up slightly with his fingers.

"Look, I'm sorry for what I said back in the healing room. I was only worried that your father had somehow escaped my dungeons and that he had come to take Legolas away again. Did he tell you what happened?"

Darean nodded, and Allenda turned to Thranduil.

"Daddy's in your dungeons? Why did you put him there?"

"Well, remember when Legolas collapsed? That was your Daddy's fault, and Legolas is my son. I can't let your father kill him."

Allenda still looked doubtful, but Darean nodded.

"So, what were you trying to achieve here?" Thranduil asked, and Darean looked up at the tree.

"Well, Legolas and Allenda and me liked this tree very much, so we wanted to get some leaves to bring to him. We thought maybe it would help him wake up."

"Alright. Do you want me to get them, or shall I help you climb up to get them yourselves?" Thranduil asked, and Allenda clapped her hands together eagerly.

"Up! Up! I want to go up the tree!" she said, and Thranduil chuckled at the enthusiasm that he recognized from Legolas's first climb, though he had been much more confident that Legolas would not fall than this small human child.

"Alright. Come, I will lift you up. But you have to promise not to let go of the branch once you get up there, or you might fall."

A sudden look of fear crossed over Darean's face.

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea…" he said, and Thranduil smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry. I will catch her if she falls. Legolas was an elfling once, you know, and I couldn't get him away from trees even taller than this one."

Darean nodded slowly, and Thranduil picked up Allenda, chuckling as she squealed in delight. He gently deposited her on the branch, and she looked down at Darean, smiling widely.

"I'm taller than you are, now!" she called down, and Darean smiled.

"Yes, you are. You're very tall now. Why don't you get the leaves, Allenda, and then come down so I can be taller again."

Allenda giggled and grabbed a handful of leaves, and Thranduil quickly remembered that he was supposed to have asked the tree. The minute he touched the ancient being's mind, however, he got an answer.

_'Do not worry, O Elvenking. It is worth it to see these two smiling again. They have been through much.'_

Thranduil nodded and turned his attention back to Allenda, who couldn't figure out how to get back down again. He smiled and held his arms out, and she jumped, giggling, into his arms.

"Well, how did you two come to be in Rivendell?" Thranduil asked them, putting Allenda down. Darean's eyes immediately darkened.

"Daddy had already left when it happened. There were some bad guys, they came and they took the village; they got most of the other men and boys and took them away. Mommy hid me, but they eventually found out, and they…" he took a deep breath.

"They took her. I don't know where. Allenda and me ran away like she had told us to, and we ran here. They chased us for a while, but then they stopped."

Thranduil looked over and gave a small, comforting smile to the boy, though sadness shone in his eyes.

"You did well to do as she told you to. And you've done a wonderful job taking care of your sister. You are very mature for your age, and your mother would be very proud of what you've done to keep Allenda safe."

There was a pause, and they both looked at Allenda, who had deposited the leaves on the ground and was laughing as she chased a butterfly across the patch of grass they were standing in. Thranduil went over to her, picking her up and balancing her on his hip like he had long ago with his own little elfling. She laughed, hugging him around the middle. He stood, taking Darean's hand as they walked into the gates of Imladris, bound for Legolas's room.

_A/N: For those of you wondering, that was not my idea that I was so excited about for this chapter. This one was getting long, and the other part would've taken me a while to write, so I thought you'd like a shorter chapter now than a really long one later._

_Question: What is your favorite scene I have written in any of my stories so far? Why?_

_Please review!_


	21. Too Close for Comfort

_Chapter 21_

Legolas awoke suddenly, and he could not pinpoint why. His mind was muddled and it took his nerves a while to warm up enough to feel the prickling wetness in the back of his throat.

It built up, and he gathered up his strength before using the meager energy, the most he could muster at the moment, to force some of it from his mouth. It dripped down his chin and landed on the white sheets and on his bare chest. Red blossomed on the sheets where it had dropped, and his eyes widened.

The blood continued to climb up his throat, and his eyes began to search frantically around the room. No one was there. The blood began to seep out of his mouth out of its own accord, and he tried to cough, but it only came out as a weak sputter.

He was running out of air! He felt the warm liquid oozing from his nose as well, and it began to run onto the sheets, coloring them crimson. The space in front of him turned blurry, and he vaguely realized that he was drowning in his own blood. If he had been sitting up, he could have coughed it up, but when he was lying down, it was deadly.

_'Come on, come on!'_ he thought, and he tried once more to gather up his strength. He slowly pushed upward, trying to get himself into a sitting position, but his shaking arm couldn't hold him. As the world turned white, he finally let down his barriers and called for his father through their bond.

_'ADA!'_

Thranduil burst into a run at Legolas's frantic cry in his mind. Darean, who had been holding his hand, was forced to speed up as well, but he had a hard time keeping up with the Elvenking's long strides. Allenda, still in his arms, giggled as they picked up speed.

They burst into the room and Thranduil gasped, putting Allenda down and quickly rushing over to his son. Blood, not dripping as it had before because of previous injuries, was _gushing_ out of Legolas's nose and mouth, and his face was pale as moonlight.

"ELROND!" Thranduil yelled, and the healer was there in seconds.

"Oh, Valar, Legolas…" Elrond said, standing still in shock for a moment before going into healer mode.

"Sit him up! Quickly! Elladan, Elrohir, Glorfindel! Get in here!" he yelled the last words into the corridor, calling for his sons and Glorfindel.

He ran over to the two blondes, helping to lift Legolas up and praying that he was still alive.

O:o:O

Legolas's vision had cleared slightly, but he was still surrounded by white. Where was he? He looked around. There! What was that?

He ran toward it, and it grew clearer. It was a huge building, and a large, tall figure with a dark cloak stood by the door. His face was grim and he had raven black hair that fell around him. But it was not him that took Legolas's attention.

She, oh Valar, _she_ was standing there, looking around as if trying to find him. Their eyes met, and her face lit up, her green eyes filling with a bittersweet happiness. She and her baby were to be reunited again, but his appearing here meant that he had gone through something terrible and not come out alive.

"Nana…" he gasped, and there was a moment's pause as they stared at each other until his feet began to hurtle toward her. She spread her arms, and he ran to her, and he was about to fall into her embrace when he was jerked backward.

As his physical body took a large, shuddering breath, Legolas's spirit was thrown back into it, straight from the gate to Mandos. His eyes were wide and he looked at Thranduil, who was hovering above him and looking panicked. Elladan and Elrohir stepped away, sighing in relief. Elrond and Glorfindel watched as the Elvenking's face relaxed slowly as he saw that Legolas was alive, and he smiled slightly at his son.

"Thank the Valar," he said, and he took Legolas's hand.

"So….scared…thought going to…die…" Legolas whispered, and Thranduil stroked a stray golden hair back behind his son's ear.

"Shhh, Legolas, it's alright. You aren't going to die, ion-nin."

"…saw…" Legolas gasped, and Thranduil looked at him with confusion and curiosity shining his eyes.

"What did you see, Legolas?"

"Nana…and Mandos…they were waiting…for me," Legolas said, and he closed his eyes. Elrond, knowing that he could better examine Legolas while he was asleep, let him doze off, leaning against the pillows at his back.

"What happened?" Elrond said, and Elrohir looked his twin and they shared a knowing look before turning to their father.

"His wound was infected when we met with him, but I cleaned it up and it was mostly cleared up by the time we arrived. It must have taken his weakness as a chance to manifest again."

Thranduil's eyes pooled with grief-filled tears, which he stubbornly blinked away.

"Thranduil, what's wrong?" said Elrond, concerned by the unusual show of emotion. Thranduil held Legolas's hand up to his face and pressed his lips together, desperately trying to keep in his tears.

"He's…he's my i—elfling, Elrond, and he came close enough to death to see Mandos…" Thranduil said, and Elrond noted that he had changed from ion to elfling when he looked at Legolas, and he looked down at the young elf.

In sleep all lines of exhaustion and pain and strength had faded from Legolas's face, leaving him looking innocent and pitifully young. His closed eyelids hid the strength and resolve that usually shone in his eyes, and for the first time in a very long time he saw Legolas for what he truly was: an elfling forced to grow up far too fast.

"He's even younger than your Arwen," Thranduil said, and he ran his fingers slowly through Legolas's hair, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes.

"And this might have happened before. He may have seen Mandos in the past. I wouldn't know; he doesn't speak to me of these things."

He opened his eyes again, and they were hard and calm as he finally gathered his emotions and pushed them away. He turned to Elrond.

"Please help him, Elrond. He's my elfling still, no matter how much he denies it."

_A/N: And THAT was the idea I had been thinking about._

_Also, I don't know if Arwen is older or younger than Legolas, but for the sake of this story, she is older._

_Question: Any ideas for punishment for Cyras? What do you think is fair? I would just kill him but now that I have Darean and Allenda I don't want to take away their only remaining parent._

_Please review!_


	22. Wait

_Chapter 22_

"Legolas…Legolas, wake up, mellon-nin…"

Legolas groaned, his mouth opening slightly, and he squeezed his eyes together as if refusing to open them.

"Come on, Legolas, I know you're awake."

Legolas opened his eyes a slit and closed them again immediately as they were blinded by the light. He opened them again, more slowly this time, and squinted until they adjusted enough to let him see Elrond leaning over him.

"Elrond…" he murmured, not feeling as if he recovered any strength whatsoever even though it was like he had been sleeping for years.

"Legolas. I'm sorry for waking you, but you need to eat."

"Not…hungry…" Legolas moaned, but Elrond was already putting a plate of food on his lap. He rolled his neck, which was extremely stiff from sleeping sitting up, but he supposed it was necessary. He shuddered at the thought of almost drowning in his own blood again. He looked around and saw that Elladan, Elrohir, and his Ada were in the room as well.

He reached out with a shaking hand to take the spoon and gritted his teeth in frustration as he lifted it and found it took every ounce of his strength.

Why was he so weak?

He lifted the spoon to his mouth and cursed inwardly as his hand shook so badly that the broth in it spilled on his chest and rolled down it.

"Here, let me help you—" Thranduil began, but Legolas cut him off.

"No!"

Thranduil flinched back, and Elrond and the twins also looked surprised. There was a moment of tense silence which Legolas finally interrupted with a soft apology.

"I'm sorry…it's just I am so tired of being weak all the time. I just want to be how I was before all of this happened…" Legolas murmured, and Thranduil's eyes softened as he realized that Legolas was not only talking about the sea-longing, but also about everything that happened with Cyras.

"You will be. These things just take time to heal, and you haven't had much. Just let us help you until you're all well again, then you can do all your independent…stuff," he finished, unable to think of another word for everything Legolas did. Legolas smiled weakly and put the spoon down. Thranduil reached to pick it up, but his son pushed his hand away gently.

"I'm serious. I'm really not hungry," Legolas said. Elrond frowned and put a hand on the young elf's forehead. The lines of worry on his face deepened.

"You're burning up," he told Legolas, who merely sighed in response and closed his eyes briefly. His hand slowly rose up to his chest, which he rubbed gently and winced. Elrond was interrogating him a moment later.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, it just…aches a little," said Legolas, dropping his hand. He frowned as Thranduil took the spoon and held it up near his face.

"Come on, ion-nin. You've been asleep for three days. You need to eat."

"Three days?" Legolas said, and he was interrupted by a yawn at the end of the sentence. Elladan and Elrohir smiled at him.

"Yes," Elrohir said. "But if you're still tired, you can go to sleep after you eat."

Legolas frowned, going slightly cross-eyed as he looked at the spoon that Thranduil was still holding near his mouth. Sighing, he opened his mouth a little, and Thranduil took the chance to pour the broth in. Legolas swallowed slowly, and when he felt no nausea he took the next bite. He still wasn't hungry, but at least he wasn't feeling sick.

When all the food was gone, Legolas leaned back against the pillows surrounding him. He yawned again.

"Why am I even sick…in the first place?" he asked, his breathing becoming slightly more labored as he tried to stay awake. Thranduil looked at him and hung his head in embarrassment and shame.

"The sphere. It broke."

Legolas's eyes widened, and he looked at Elrond, who nodded his confirmation.

"Then…why am I not dead?" Legolas asked, and Thranduil gave a small laugh.

"Because you are too stubborn to die."

Legolas gave a small smile, which was interrupted by a fit of hacking coughs. The sound, which had a certain quality to it that made the twins cringe, echoed through the small room, and Legolas continued to cough into the crook of his elbow for almost a full minute, splattering droplets of blood on his skin. When he finally caught his breath again, he felt like he couldn't get enough air, and his breathing sped up.

"Legolas, calm your breathing," Elrond said and, though Legolas tried to, he could not do it. His breathing continued to get faster and faster, and he still felt the dizziness that came with oxygen deprivation.

"Legolas, I need you to calm down, penneth!" Elrond said, slightly startled at how fast the situation had spun out of control.

"Elrohir. Get over here. I need to get a tea…_Quickly, _Elrohir!" Elrond said, and the better healer of his two sons was over in a second. He immediately dismissed his father's snappy, impatient tone and decided it was merely stress, bordering on panic. As Elrond hurried away to the shelf near the window, Elrohir took Legolas's hand.

"Legolas. Legolas, look at me."

Legolas's wide eyes snapped to his, and Elrohir gave him a comforting smile.

"It's going to be alright, mellon-nin, I promise. Shhh…It's going to be alright."

Legolas's breathing slowed slightly, and Elrohir smile widened slightly. He took the blonde elf in his arms so that their chests were touching.

"You feel my breathing, mellon-nin?" Elrohir asked, and Legolas nodded into his shoulder. "Good. Try to match it. It will make you get more air, I promise."

Legolas slowly calmed down, and his eyes drifted closed into an exhausted sleep. There was a tense silence for a moment as Elrohir untangled himself from Legolas and lay the prince against the pillows again, tucking him in with affection glowing in his eyes.

An arm came around Elrohir's shoulders, and he looked up to see his father standing above him, pride shining on his face.

"Well done," Elrond said quietly, and Elrohir beamed up at him, feeling as if his heart would burst. It was not often that Elrond gave out praise, especially since Elrohir had become so advanced a student in the field of healing.

Elrond took the tea that he had been in the middle of making and put it discreetly on a shelf, in case they should ever need to knock Legolas out. He sighed as he remembered the realization he had come to when he had reviewed all of Legolas's symptoms in his mind.

"The White Plague," he said, turning to Thranduil. "That is what he has."

Thranduil looked at him, a confused expression crossing his face. Elrond realized that he didn't know what the White Plague was, but that was to be expected, since it was typically a disease that was more widespread among men. He had only seen a couple of cases of it within elves in his entire long life. Most of what he knew about the disease was from humans.

"It's a disease of the lungs. The only known cure is a surgery, but that is usually done on the form that is transmitted through the air. Legolas got it through infection…it makes the surgery much more risky," Elrond said. "But if we don't do anything, he will die."

"Do it. Do it now!" Thranduil said, his voice resolute, though louder than usual because of his nervousness. He could not do nothing and let his son die.

He could not.

"I'm afraid that isn't for you to decide," said Elrond, and Thranduil's mouth opened slightly so he looked like a gaping fish in surprise at the sudden statement from Elrond. He closed his mouth, his eyebrows turning up slightly in confusion and anger at the sudden contradiction, and he opened his mouth again to speak, but Elrond held up a hand, effectively silencing him.

"It's Legolas's decision, Thranduil. As young as he may be, he is wise and mature beyond his years. It is his choice to make."

Thranduil paused for a moment, and then his face relaxed slightly to be as calm as he could get it to be with his son's life on the line. Then a thought struck him. He had assumed that Legolas would choose the surgery; and he would have, before all of this happened. But now, if he were in Legolas's place, he had no idea what he would do in Legolas's place. With the sea-longing and the inborn desire to be with his beloved Nana, maybe he would want to die, just to get there as fast as possible and to see her. He looked at his son's sleeping face and silently hoped that he would agree to at least have a chance to live.

All he could do was wait.

_A/N: Please forgive me for the slow update! I had severe writer's block for some reason! D:_

_The White Plague, in reality, is another name for tuberculosis. Though TB can be treated by drugs today, it can also be treated by surgery if it resists the drugs. Since they don't have the medicine we have today, I am assuming that in Middle Earth the only cure would be surgery. TB is mostly transmitted through the air, but in very, VERY, rare instances, it can come through infection. So all of Legolas's symptoms are those of a real disease, because I thought that would be kind of cool._

_Question: If you were Legolas, what would you choose?_

_Please review!_


End file.
